| 100% | OTHER | 5 | Alternative to this and that, with "the" |
| 66% | OTHER | 5 | Partner for this and that, with "the" |
| 60% | BLACKBIRD | 9 | Beatles song with the lyric "Take these broken wings and learn to fly" |
| 57% | ELECTORATE | 10 | Those with the right to vote |
| 57% | MIXEDBAG | 8 | Some of this, some of that ... and a hint to the circled squares |
| 57% | BED | 3 | Place with pillows and blankets that is hard to leave in the morning |
| 57% | ELITES | 6 | Those with the greatest power and status |
| 55% | INA | 3 | With 60-Down, on one's game ... and hint to the start of this puzzle's longest answers |
| 55% | LEMUR | 5 | Primate with large eyes and a long tail that is endemic to the island of Madagascar |
| 55% | INTERSTATE | 10 | With 59-Across, highway that goes through the 15 places indicated in this puzzle, in order, north to south |
| 55% | CRETE | 5 | Visit this island that is the largest in Greece and home to the Minoan Palaces (2/3) |
| 54% | FREDDY | 6 | Singer Fender with a 1975 hit that went to #1 on both the pop and country charts |
| 54% | OUT | 3 | This 2024 movie that brought emotions to the screen and shattered records. Give it up for Pixar's "Inside ___ 2"! |
| 54% | GREAT | 5 | With 27-, 49- and 66-Across, phrase applicable to five innovations in this puzzle (as suggested by the starred clues) |
| 54% | TRUCK | 5 | *Transport for 16a that's driven with care, and with sirens ringing it arrives to fight the flare!" |
| 54% | CINNAMON | 8 | (2/5) You'll also need this staple spice that adds warmth and sweetness to the pie filling |
| 54% | FURNITUREASSEMBLY | 17 | Ikea task, and a task that can be applied to the sets of circled letters in this puzzle |
| 54% | VOODOO | 6 | Type of doll that Singh tries to kill Indy with in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" |
| 53% | BANANA | 6 | With 37-Across, some ice cream confections … or a hint to the second, fifth, eleventh and fourteenth rows of this puzzle |
| 53% | SECRET | 6 | With 46-Across, some areas in Clue … or a hint to the first, fourth, twelfth and fifteenth rows of this puzzle |
| 53% | NETFLIX | 7 | Streaming platform with "The Crown" that launched in 2007, and a way to enjoy 19a at home in the Internet age |
| 53% | STUFFEDTOMATOES | 15 | Rice-filled appetizers with red shells, and a hint to the words that bookend 17-, 30-, and 42-Across |
| 53% | HERO | 4 | *Person who saves the day... and a word you may use to describe those being celebrated in this puzzle |
| 53% | OTHER | 5 | This, that and the ___ |
| 53% | OTHER | 5 | This, that, and the ___ |
| 53% | IMNOTADOCTOR | 12 | With 40- and 48-Across, much-mocked ad phrase that could have been said by the answers to the four starred clues |
| 52% | WHEW | 4 | Word that corresponds to the emoji with a grinning face, beads of sweat and seems to be wiping its brow |
| 52% | PRIMEREALESTATE | 15 | Asset that's all about "location, location, location" ... with a hint to the starts of 21-, 26- and 49-Across |
| 52% | HEATWAVE | 8 | Martha and the Vandellas hit song that starts, "Whenever I'm with him / Something inside / Starts to burning" (2 wds.) |
| 52% | ALL | 3 | *"They sealed their holiday celebration and promised to cherish these moments forever, knowing that love was the greatest gift of ___!" |