| 100% | DIDNTSCALEWELL | 14 | "When that fell through, I tried my hand at fishmongering, but we …" |
| 37% | HIP | 3 | "I put my hand up on your ___ / When I dip, you dip, we dip" |
| 35% | IGOTORIO | 8 | Classic song that begins "When my baby / When my baby smiles at me" |
| 33% | IGOTORIO | 8 | Classic song that starts “When my baby / When my baby smiles at me” |
| 28% | HELICOPTERPARENTS | 17 | "___? That's me and your mom when we're in a chopper" |
| 28% | LIVINONAPRAYER | 14 | *Bon Jovi song with the lyric "Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear" |
| 28% | LIVINONAPRAYER | 14 | 1986 Bon Jovi hit with the lyric "Take my hand, we'll make it, I swear" |
| 28% | MODEMS | 6 | Gizmos that worked at 56 kbit/s when I started cluing crosswords |
| 28% | SUFFEREDFROMBURNOUT | 19 | "When I tried candlemaking, all my workers …" |
| 27% | HALE | 4 | I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country speaker |
| 27% | SOMEPEOPLE | 10 | “I personally can’t imagine acting like that, but I guess we’re all different” |
| 27% | BLACKDOG | 8 | 52-Across song with the lyrics "At least I know that you are trying / But that's what makes it terrifying" (2 wds.) |
| 26% | FASTFOODCHAOS | 13 | Mayhem that ensues when one tries to order a Big Mac at an Arby's? |
| 26% | IRONICFISTS | 11 | Nervous condition that causes one's hands to clench when trying not to appear threatening? |
| 26% | HALE | 4 | Nathan who said "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country" |
| 25% | IMEANT | 6 | "Let me try that again ..." |
| 25% | NOCANDO | 7 | "Outta my hands, I'm afraid" |
| 24% | RIO | 3 | "When my baby smiles at me I go to ___" (Pablo Cruise lyric) |
| 24% | RIO | 3 | Where I go "when my baby smiles at me," in song |
| 24% | SEEINGSTARS | 11 | Ouch! Drifted too far and bonked my head on that darn window … but wow, would you look at the view! |
| 24% | RAH | 3 | Apparently yelled pep rally word used often in crosswords but that I've never actually heard at a pep rally |
| 24% | LOSESTO | 7 | Falls at the hands of |
| 24% | REGRET | 6 | "That I have but one life to lose for my country," to Hale |
| 24% | DAILEY | 6 | Dan ___, 1948 Best Actor nominee for "When My Baby Smiles at Me" |
| 24% | ADA | 3 | 1969 literary heroine who says "I like the words damozel, eglantine, elegant. I love when you kiss my elongated white hand" |
| 24% | ADOGSTALE | 9 | Mark Twain story that begins "My father was a St. Bernard, my mother was a collie, but I am a Presbyterian" |
| 24% | LIFEGOESON | 10 | 2020 BTS song that debuted at #1, but fell 27 spots the following week: 3 wds. |
| 24% | WILLOW | 6 | 2020 Taylor Swift song that debuted at #1, but fell 37 spots the following week |
| 24% | SIDEA | 5 | "I Want to Hold Your Hand" through "All My Loving," on "Meet the Beatles!" |
| 24% | SIDEA | 5 | “I Want to Hold Your Hand” through “All My Loving,” on “Meet the Beatles!” |