| 100% | RANOUTOFRUNWAY | 14 | "I decided to try operating an airport, but just before launch we …" |
| 37% | CORNEREDTHEMARKET | 17 | "Finally, I decided to buy a grocery store on an intersection, but a rival had ..." |
| 28% | INDICTS | 7 | Decides to try |
| 28% | DIDNTSCALEWELL | 14 | "When that fell through, I tried my hand at fishmongering, but we …" |
| 27% | TIL | 3 | Twitter abbreviation indicating "This was unknown to me before just now ..." |
| 26% | AVAIL | 5 | "We tried, but alas, to no ___" |
| 25% | MET | 3 | Noah & The Whale "Just Me Before We ___" |
| 25% | IDEA | 4 | "I've got an ___" ("Why don't we try this?") |
| 24% | TORN | 4 | Trying to decide |
| 24% | JUSTANIDEA | 10 | "We don't have to, but figured I'd mention it" |
| 24% | FINALEDIT | 9 | Step just before publishing an article |
| 24% | CRAM | 4 | Study hard just before an exam |
| 24% | CRAM | 4 | Study intensely just before an exam |
| 24% | POLLTAKER | 9 | Busy person just before an election |
| 24% | ERE | 3 | Before, to an odist |
| 24% | LECTER | 6 | Movie doctor who said, "I do wish we could chat longer, but I'm having an old friend for dinner." |
| 24% | ALGORITHM | 9 | Encoded problem-solving procedure (maybe it's time we let computers think for themselves, though? I dunno, just an idea) |
| 24% | GROUCHO | 7 | Who once quipped “I never forget a face, but in your case I’ll be glad to make an exception" |
| 23% | ASK | 3 | Try to get an answer |
| 23% | RAN | 3 | Tried to win an election |
| 23% | ANGLED | 6 | Tried to engineer an advantage |
| 23% | ASKS | 4 | Tries to get an answer |
| 23% | SLEEP | 5 | "But I have promises to keep / And miles to go before I ___": Frost |
| 23% | REHAB | 5 | Where "they tried to make me go," in an Amy Winehouse hit |
| 23% | REHAB | 5 | Where "they tried to make me go," in an Amy Winehouse song |
| 23% | OPTIN | 5 | Decide to receive an email newsletter, for example: 2 wds. |
| 23% | TAXI | 4 | Travel along an airport runway before taking off |
| 23% | NINES | 5 | Array just before an odometer reaches 100,000 |
| 23% | SAMPLE | 6 | Small nibble to try something before buying it |
| 23% | SWERVE | 6 | Try to avoid an accident, maybe |