Most times, the head should be on the lede. If it's not, consider rewriting the story. Take the head even an inch beyond any conclusion the story may reach. It's a tipoff to your readers that nothing has changed in a continuing story. That tells them to turn the page without reading any further.
Clever puns are funny.
Too many dilute the effect. Find ways to avoid them. Do without a style book if your paper doesn't already have one. Good papers always have style books. Really good ones update them once or twice a year, too.