| 100% | TRAIL | 5 | A "mix" of this word straddles the two words in 17- and 57-Across and 11- and 29-Down |
| 52% | HUMAN | 5 | Word that can precede the first word of 17- and 64-Across and 11- and 29-Down |
| 49% | AFFIX | 5 | Add-on to the start or end of a word stem (as in 17-, 25-, 35-, 49- and 57-Across) |
| 49% | RANGE | 5 | Word that can follow the first parts of 17- and 57-Across and 11- and 28-Down |
| 49% | STOPTHE | 7 | Words that can precede the last parts of 17- and 61-Across and 11- and 29-Down |
| 49% | LICENSE | 7 | Word that can follow the first parts of 17- and 60-Across and 11- and 29-Down |
| 48% | BAD | 3 | Word that can precede the first parts of 17-, 36- and 57-Across, and 11- and 32-Down |
| 47% | SPARE | 5 | Extra, and a word that can precede the last parts of 17- and 59-Across and 11- and 34-Down |
| 45% | GUNS | 4 | Shooters, and a word that can follow the last parts of 17-, 40- and 64-Across and 11- and 30-Down |
| 45% | CAPITAL | 7 | Any of the cities found in 17- and 56-Across and 11- and 24-Down |
| 45% | CREAM | 5 | It can follow the first word of 17- and 58-Across and 11- and 28-Down |
| 44% | CONSONANTS | 10 | There are six of these in the middle of 17- and 56-Across and 11- and 25-Down |
| 44% | CHILDSPLAY | 10 | "Piece of cake!" (and a hint to the starts of 17-Across and 11- and 27-Down) |
| 44% | SPRINGBREAK | 11 | Popular vacation time ... and an explanation of what's straddling the two words in each theme answer? |
| 43% | HALL | 4 | Word that can follow the last parts of 17-, 29-, 43- and 57-Across |
| 43% | EMPTY | 5 | Word that can precede the last parts of 20- and 57-Across and 11- and 35-Down |
| 43% | FIRESAFETY | 10 | Subject in which the first words of 17-, 29- and 46-Across are sage advice |
| 43% | RHYME | 5 | What each of the longest words in 17-Across, 65-Across, 10-Down and 25-Down famously lacks |
| 43% | BROWN | 5 | Word that can precede the starts of 17- and 62-Across and 11- and 35-Down |
| 43% | CRACKER | 7 | Word that can follow the ends of 17- and 62-Across and 11- and 34-Down |
| 43% | COLDOPEN | 8 | Certain TV intro ... or a description of each of 12 letters in the grid (the starts of six Across entries and then six Down entries) that spell out an alternate title for this puzzle |
| 42% | FLAT | 4 | Word that can precede the first parts of 17- and 59-Across and 11- and 25-Down |
| 42% | OPERA | 5 | Word that can follow the first parts of 17- and 51-Across and 11- and 25-Down |
| 42% | FINAL | 5 | Word that can precede the first parts of 17- and 55-Across and 11- and 33-Down |
| 42% | MATCH | 5 | Word that can follow the first parts of 17- and 52-Across and 11- and 25-Down |
| 42% | SHOES | 5 | Word that can follow the last parts of 17- and 62-Across and 11- and 34-Down |
| 42% | HEAVY | 5 | Word that can precede the first parts of 17- and 60-Across and 11- and 35-Down |
| 42% | TRICK | 5 | Word that can follow the first parts of 17- and 55-Across and 11- and 28-Down |
| 42% | COUNT | 5 | Word that can follow the last parts of 17- and 54-Across and 11- and 28-Down |
| 42% | AIR | 3 | Word that can precede the last parts of 17- and 61-Across and 11- and 28-Down |