| 100% | BITE | 4 | ___ the bullet (finally start something unpleasant) |
| 52% | ODOR | 4 | Something unpleasant in the air |
| 50% | BULLET | 6 | Do something unpleasant, bite the __ |
| 49% | DAYONE | 6 | The start of something |
| 49% | ESS | 3 | The start of something |
| 49% | ESS | 3 | The start of something? |
| 48% | INSTIGATE | 9 | Start something, be the one who makes it happen |
| 48% | BADPENNY | 8 | Something unpleasant that always turns up, so the saying goes |
| 47% | ONSET | 5 | The start or beginning of something |
| 47% | ONSET | 5 | Start of something unpleasant |
| 46% | IDEA | 4 | Something that starts the mental gears turning |
| 45% | SLIPPERY | 8 | __ slope, the start of something precipitous |
| 45% | GOAHEAD | 7 | Give the __, say something can start |
| 44% | DODGED | 6 | ___ a bullet (narrowly avoided something unpleasant) |
| 44% | COULD | 5 | "This ___ be the start of something big..." |
| 44% | COULD | 5 | "This ___ be the start of something big" |
| 43% | SEED | 4 | It might be the start of something big |
| 42% | RID | 3 | "I finally ___ myself of the illness" (freed oneself of something) |
| 40% | BITETHE | 7 | __ bullet, to finally do something difficult |
| 39% | IMHERE | 6 | "The party can finally start!" |
| 39% | DRAW | 4 | Something you can do to the starts of 17-, 21-, 37-, 53- and 60-Across |
| 39% | STARCROSSEDLOVE | 15 | Relationship doomed from the start ... or something found in this puzzle four times? |
| 39% | GOTATIT | 7 | Started something |
| 38% | GIFT | 4 | Something that can be wrapped using the starts of 17-, 24-, 40-, 51- and 64-Across |
| 38% | INNOVATE | 8 | Start something new |
| 38% | INITIATE | 8 | Start something off |
| 38% | OPENSUP | 7 | Finally starts talking |
| 38% | EASESIN | 7 | Starts something slowly |
| 38% | GODHELPUS | 9 | Something you might hear when the aliens exit their ship and start zapping people with ray guns |
| 36% | FIFTHLY | 7 | The bullet point after fourthly |