| 100% | HATE | 4 | Anagram of "heat", and a probable cause, as well |
| 46% | ROUX | 4 | Mixture of butter and flour heated and used as a basis for sauces |
| 46% | ROUX | 4 | A mixture of fat and flour heated and used as a basis for sauces |
| 43% | FLARING | 7 | Heating and opening the end of a glass tube |
| 42% | TNT | 3 | Cause of a boom and bust? |
| 42% | EFFECT | 6 | A result of something else; cause and __ |
| 41% | TOASTIER | 8 | Better heated, say a piece of bread |
| 41% | AYRTONSENNA | 11 | Brazilian F1 driver, regarded as one of the best ever, and died in a crash during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix : 2 wds. |
| 40% | CUSHY | 5 | Undemanding and well-paying, as a job |
| 40% | MILITANT | 8 | Vigorously aggressive, as in support of a cause |
| 40% | TEAR | 4 | Rip and damage, as a piece of cloth |
| 39% | RUNSDRY | 7 | Becomes depleted of water, as a well (2 wds.) |
| 39% | MAZE | 4 | Network of confusing paths and hedges designed as a puzzle |
| 39% | UNRIG | 5 | Strip of sails and rope, as a ship |
| 38% | ITHASITSUPSANDDOWNS | 19 | "There are positives as well as negatives" ... or a description of this puzzle's theme |
| 38% | TOO | 3 | Follower of "me" as a statement and "you" as a question |
| 38% | JAMIEFOXX | 9 | Winner of a best-actor Oscar and an R. & B. Grammy |
| 38% | SAL | 3 | Actor Mineo of "Exodus" and "Rebel Without a Cause" |
| 38% | CLOSURE | 7 | Sense of acceptance and finality, as after a breakup |
| 38% | EURASIA | 7 | Continents of Europe and Asia considered as a whole |
| 38% | MESS | 4 | Disorderly and untidy state, as of a room |
| 38% | BITUMEN | 7 | Impure mixture of hydrocarbons used as a road surfacing and roofing material |
| 38% | ASTRONOMY | 9 | Scientific study of celestial objects, space and the universe as a whole |
| 38% | ETA | 3 | Greek letter used as a symbol of viscosity by chemists and physicists |
| 38% | FRESHAIR | 8 | Something new and different might be described as a breath of it |
| 38% | XENOPHANES | 10 | Greek poet and philosopher regarded as a founder of the Eleatic School |
| 37% | COARSE | 6 | Rough and harsh, such as a grade of sandpaper |
| 37% | MIRIAM | 6 | Sister of Moses and Aaron, regarded as a prophet |
| 37% | CHRISTMAS | 9 | A major holiday and anagram of "shirt scam" |
| 37% | MAKESWAVES | 10 | Causes a ruckus, and what the end of each answer to the starred clues does |