| 100% | CAMEL | 5 | Animal whose nostrils can close to block out blowing sand |
| 34% | APE | 3 | Animal whose genetic structure is close to humans' |
| 33% | APE | 3 | Animal whose genetic structure is close to a human's |
| 33% | ELK | 3 | Animal whose antlers can grow up to four feet long |
| 32% | ELK | 3 | Animal whose antlers can grow up to one inch per day |
| 32% | ELK | 3 | Animal whose antlers can grow up to an inch per day |
| 28% | SEAL | 4 | Close to animal |
| 28% | EARPLUGS | 8 | Use these to block out sound |
| 27% | SEAL | 4 | Close to an animal |
| 27% | SQUINT | 6 | Attempt to block out the sun, maybe |
| 27% | ONEDGE | 6 | Close to freaking out (2 wds.) |
| 26% | CAIMAN | 6 | Animal whose closest relative is an alligator |
| 26% | RAM | 3 | Animal whose name anagrams to 16-Across |
| 26% | CURTAINS | 8 | Draw them across the window to block out the light |
| 26% | WHALE | 5 | Animal whose song can travel thousands of miles |
| 26% | APE | 3 | Animal whose name can also mean "big brute" |
| 26% | GIRAFFE | 7 | Animal whose vertebrae can be a foot long |
| 26% | KOALA | 5 | Animal whose closest living relative is the wombat |
| 25% | SLEEPMASK | 9 | It's worn by people to block out light in bed |
| 25% | MUTEBUTTON | 10 | It might be used to block out background noise on Zoom |
| 25% | YAK | 3 | Animal whose name can also mean "talk a lot" |
| 25% | ASS | 3 | Animal whose name can also be an intensifying suffix |
| 25% | BADGER | 6 | Animal whose name can also be a verb meaning "nag" |
| 25% | APE | 3 | Animal whose name can also be a verb meaning "mimic" |
| 25% | MINK | 4 | Animal whose fur is sometimes used to make winter coats |
| 25% | KOALA | 5 | Animal whose main diet, eucalyptus leaves, is poisonous to humans |
| 25% | HIPPO | 5 | Land animal whose closest living relatives include whales |
| 24% | BASSPROSHOPS | 12 | Retailer whose hats have become a 2020s trend [You're out of the red ones? Grrr. Can I speak to the manager?] |
| 24% | HORSE | 5 | Animal whose coat colors end the answers to the starred clues |
| 24% | HIPPO | 5 | Land animal whose closest living relative is the whale |