| 100% | USS | 3 | Abbr. that can precede nine key words in this puzzle |
| 66% | UNDERTHEHOOD | 12 | Where nine key words in this puzzle can be found |
| 63% | CHRISTMAS | 9 | Word that can precede the starts of eight key words in this puzzle |
| 58% | IRATE | 5 | What nine key words in this puzzle are synonyms of |
| 56% | TENNISANYONE | 12 | Question you might feel like asking after seeing nine key words in this puzzle? |
| 54% | JUMP | 4 | Word that can precede each set of circled letters, forming a literal hint for entering certain answers in this puzzle |
| 51% | BEFOREHAND | 10 | In advance ... or where nine key words in this puzzle might appear |
| 49% | THREE | 5 | Word that precedes six other answers in this puzzle |
| 48% | SHADESOFPINK | 12 | What seven key words in this puzzle are |
| 48% | TAKESTOTHEAIR | 13 | Starts traveling like seven key words in this puzzle |
| 48% | STPATRICKSDAY | 13 | Observance associated with eight key words in this puzzle |
| 46% | ENG | 3 | Language of the words in this puzzle: Abbr. |
| 46% | AFTERPARTY | 10 | Post-event bash ... or where eight key words in this puzzle might appear |
| 42% | TRAPPED | 7 | Confined, like five letters in this puzzle that spell an apt word |
| 42% | CHEMICALSYMBOLS | 15 | This puzzle's circled letters, for the words that precede them |
| 41% | HEARTED | 7 | Word that can follow the starts of 11 answers in this puzzle |
| 41% | WII | 3 | Word that can precede "Chess," "Fit," and "Sports" in video game titles |
| 41% | REDEFINED | 9 | Like nine words in this puzzle, or what their first letters spell out |
| 41% | TEN | 3 | Number of mispelled words in this puzzle's clues (oh, by the way, watch out for those tricky circled squares!) |
| 41% | DOWNS | 5 | Lows ... that could appear four more times in this puzzle |
| 41% | UPS | 3 | Highs ... that could appear four more times in this puzzle |
| 40% | SANTA | 5 | It can precede eight first names in this puzzle to form the names of California cities |
| 39% | PUNCH | 5 | Word that completes four phrases in this puzzle |
| 39% | RISING | 6 | Ascendant, like four words in this puzzle |
| 38% | TEN | 3 | Number of one-voweled, seven-letter words in this puzzle |
| 38% | LOVEISALLAROUND | 15 | 1968 hit for the Troggs, and a hint to what can precede this puzzle's perimeter words |
| 38% | ADDAMS | 6 | Surname of a family whose members can be found in nine rows in this puzzle ... and whose names contain circled letters that, reading down, spell a word describing them |
| 38% | ROUGH | 5 | With 38- and 49-Across, unrefined, and a hint to what can precede this puzzle's border words |
| 38% | DOLLAR | 6 | Source of all the tender words in this puzzle? |
| 38% | ACROSS | 6 | Direction of about half the words in this puzzle |