| 100% | SECRETSANTA | 11 | Anonymous December figure ... and a description of the circled squares? |
| 61% | FOOTBRIDGES | 11 | Pedestrians' spans, and a description of the circled words |
| 61% | LANDSLIDES | 10 | Earth movements, and a description of the circled letters |
| 59% | SPINNINGTOPS | 12 | You can make them take turns, and a description of the circled letters |
| 59% | FOURWAYSTOPS | 12 | They can make you take turns, and a description of the circled letters |
| 58% | POSTITNOTES | 11 | Sticky yellow squares ... or a description of the circled letters and what they follow? |
| 54% | TRIALBYFIRE | 11 | Pressure-filled ordeal, and a description of the juxtaposed circled words on the left side of the puzzle |
| 54% | TAKEBYSTORM | 11 | Rapidly achieve success in, and a description of the juxtaposed circled words at the top of the puzzle |
| 54% | IDIOM | 5 | Figure of speech ... and a synonym of the puzzle's alternate title, spelled left to right in the circled squares |
| 53% | SELLBYDATES | 11 | Labels on grocery store products, and a description of the juxtaposed circled words on the right side of the puzzle |
| 49% | CHANGINGTABLES | 14 | Furniture for new parents ... and a literal description of the circled squares (look on top of them to find this puzzle's six-letter meta answer) |
| 49% | RSAILSPLITTER | 13 | Another nickname for Old Abe ... or a description of the circled letter? |
| 49% | PLAYWITHINAPLAY | 15 | Embedded narrative, and a description of the answer to each starred clue |
| 48% | MIXEDFRUIT | 10 | Sweet snack, and a description of the first words of the starred answers |
| 48% | LEFTOVERS | 9 | What many have after Thanksgiving, and a description of the starred answers' gimmick |
| 48% | INFLIGHTENTERTAINMENT | 21 | Long-haul travel perk, and a description of the answers to the starred clues |
| 47% | MORN | 4 | Poetic time of day … and a clue to the circled square in this row |
| 47% | WILDRICE | 8 | Whole-grain food, and a description of each set of circles |
| 47% | LINEDANCING | 11 | Honky-tonk activity, and a description of the first parts of 20-, 34- and 41-Across |
| 47% | HIDDENFIGURES | 13 | Oscar-nominated film about NASA mathematicians, and a description of the countdown found in this puzzle? |
| 47% | EDGECASE | 8 | Situation that occurs under extreme conditions, and a description of the answer to each starred clue |
| 46% | TURNINGAPROPHET | 15 | Punny description of the circled letters in 17-, 27- and 48-Across |
| 46% | MIXEDGREENS | 11 | Mesclun, and a hint to the circled squares |
| 45% | LANGUAGEBARRIER | 15 | Tourist's concern, and a description of four of this puzzle's black squares |
| 45% | STICKY | 6 | With 58-Across, predicament, and a description of both halves of the starred answers |
| 45% | NONNEGATIVE | 11 | Zero or greater, or a description of the circled letters, which do not affect the meanings of the answers |
| 45% | CONTAINERSHIP | 13 | Vessel transporting standard-sized cargo units, and a description of each set of circled letters |
| 45% | MIXEDBAG | 8 | Some of this, some of that ... and a hint to the circled squares |
| 45% | BETWEEN | 7 | With 39-Across, a description of the answers inside 17-, 24-, 49- and 60-Across |
| 44% | USOPENS | 7 | Annual tournaments ... or a description of the starts of 16-, 20-, 37-, 53- and 60-Across? |