| 100% | CLUELESSREPLIES | 15 | Answers to 17-, 22-, 40- and 52-Across, literally |
| 56% | FOLLOW | 6 | Word missing from the answers to 17-, 23-, 29-, 40-, 47- and 62-Across |
| 55% | FLYINGSTART | 11 | What the answers to 17-, 26-, 37-, 39- and 52-Across are all off to? |
| 54% | FRENCHOPEN | 10 | Big clay court event ... or a hint to the answers to 17-, 26-, 40- and 52-Across |
| 50% | CUTITOUT | 8 | "Stop that!" ... and a hint to the answers to 17-, 23-, 39- and 52-Across |
| 49% | ENTOMBMENTS | 11 | Burials for pharaohs, and a hint to 17-, 26-, 40- and 52-Across |
| 48% | MMMMGOOD | 8 | Classic advertising slogan ... and a hint to 17-, 25-, 40- and 52-Across |
| 46% | MIRROR | 6 | Item literally useful in reading the answers to 20-, 32-, 41- and 52-Across |
| 46% | MIXEDDRINKS | 11 | What 17-, 28-, 40- and 55-Across literally contain |
| 46% | CAPANDGOWN | 10 | Graduation garb ... or what the compound answers to 17-, 28- and 44-Across represent? |
| 45% | IDEMANDARECOUNT | 15 | Mathematician's response to 17-, 22-, 51- and 58-Across? |
| 45% | DOSEQUIS | 8 | Beer brand whose logo hints at the answers to 17-, 19-, 38-, 43- and 61-Across |
| 44% | KEYWEST | 7 | Florida island ... or a hint to 17-, 24-, 52- and 65-Across |
| 44% | SAYAGAIN | 8 | "Huh?"...or a hint to 17-, 23-, 40- and 53-Across |
| 43% | LIBRARY | 7 | Spot to find 17-, 22-, 36- and 48-Across |
| 43% | YEAROFTHEOX | 11 | 2021 in the Chinese zodiac, with a hint to 17-, 27- and 40-Across |
| 43% | AHAMOMENT | 9 | Sudden insight ... with a hint to 17-, 24-, 40- and 50-Across |
| 43% | DRESSFORSUCCESS | 15 | Look the part, as in the answers to the "Step" clues, both literally and figuratively |
| 43% | LARRYBIRD | 9 | Former N.B.A. star with a hint to 17-, 23-, 52- and 60-Across |
| 42% | TURNDOWNANOSCAR | 15 | What 18 and 52 Across were the only performers to do |
| 42% | MMM | 3 | "Delicious!" ... and a hint to every Across answer in this puzzle |
| 42% | VARIABLE | 8 | In the answers to 17-, 34- and 57-Across, it was replaced in turn by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... |
| 42% | USEFOWLLANGUAGE | 15 | What the starts of the answers to 17-, 24-, 48- and 60-Across do, punnily? |
| 42% | WEATHERFORECAST | 15 | Local news feature suggested by the answers to 17-, 23-, 48- and 60-Across |
| 42% | PICKUPLINES | 11 | Singles bar repertoire (and a hint to 17-, 24-, 36- and 52-Across) |
| 42% | REPEATAFTERME | 13 | Swearing-in words … or a hint to 17-, 22-, 48- and 55-Across |
| 41% | ELLEWOODS | 9 | "Legally Blonde" protagonist... or a phonetic hint to 12 Across and 17 Across |
| 41% | FRANGLAIS | 9 | Hybrid linguistic term that hints at the answers to 17-, 25-, 36- and 51-Across |
| 41% | YOUSEE | 6 | "It's like this," and a phonetic hint to the five longest Across answers |
| 41% | LETSHAVESOMEFUN | 15 | "It's party time!" ... or a hint to 17-, 24- and 40-Across |