| 100% | SOU | 3 | "Ready to relieve 'em of a ___ or two" ("Les Misérables" lyric) |
| 44% | PSANDQS | 7 | Good behavior ... or a hint to two lines of letters in this puzzle |
| 44% | SLUR | 4 | In music, to perform smoothly a melodic phrase of two or more notes |
| 42% | SLUR | 4 | Symbol of a curved line in Western musical notation indicating that two or more notes are to be played without separation |
| 41% | HUMANNATURE | 11 | Set of traits we all have ... or a two-part description of the answers to the starred clues? |
| 41% | INFORMATION | 11 | Ready to play, or a phone service |
| 41% | SEAT | 4 | Ready to take a piece of furniture |
| 41% | SEAT | 4 | Ready to get a piece of furniture |
| 41% | SEAT | 4 | Ready to have a piece of furniture |
| 41% | WEREALLSET | 10 | "Ready to go!" ... or a description of 17-, 25-, 37- and 48-Across? |
| 40% | AUTOMATES | 9 | Streamlines, as a factory ... or, when read as two words, what the beginnings of the answers to starred clues are |
| 40% | AREYOUOKAY | 10 | Query of concern … or a phonetic hint to two pairs of letters appearing in 17-, 24-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 39% | CUETHETEARS | 11 | *"Get ready to feel a lot of feels" |
| 39% | PASSAGE | 7 | Part of a book ... or something to book |
| 39% | BOXCARS | 7 | Parts of a train, or two sixes in craps |
| 39% | DICHROISM | 9 | Ability of a gem to show two different colors |
| 39% | ESSENCE | 7 | Extract of a flower or plant to create scents |
| 39% | BACKREST | 8 | Part of a chair or sofa to lean against |
| 39% | FOLLOWINGTHE | 12 | With 58-Down, a patient process? ... or a hint to two consecutive letters in the answer to each of the seven starred clues |
| 38% | DISMISSAL | 9 | Favorite time of the school day for some teachers and students, or a two-word hint for the answers to the starred clues |
| 38% | KNEEPAD | 7 | It'll keep you out of a scrape or two |
| 38% | ODE | 3 | Lyric poem devoted to praise a person or thing |
| 38% | MORBID | 6 | Of or relating to a disease or its characteristics |
| 38% | SPONDEE | 7 | A poetic foot of two long or stressed syllables |
| 38% | COMMITTEE | 9 | A body of persons chosen to advise or investigate |
| 38% | DEPICT | 6 | To show or represent in a form of art |
| 38% | ANTE | 4 | A chip or two to start with |
| 37% | CONTRAIL | 8 | Follower of a plane ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 37% | HOMESTRETCH | 11 | Last leg of a race ... or a hint to the circled letters |
| 37% | JUNCTION | 8 | A meeting or joining of two roads or rail lines |