| 100% | GETCRACKING | 11 | Apt command to an 18-, 28- or 47-Across |
| 40% | CUTIES | 6 | Babies (aww ...) ... or an aural hint to 18-, 32-, 39- and 57-Across |
| 39% | HEADSTARTS | 10 | Advantages, or a hint to 18-, 27- and 47-Across |
| 39% | MISSING | 7 | Lost ... or, in two words, an apt description of 17-, 24-, 47- and 59-Across |
| 39% | THATSHOWIROLL | 13 | Nonchalant reply to a compliment, or an apt remark from a 20-, 27-, 35-, or 47-Across |
| 38% | INTHETANK | 9 | On a losing streak, or where to find 17-, 28-, and 47-Across |
| 37% | MIDDLE | 6 | With 44-Down, educational stage ... or a hint to the contents of 18-, 22-, 47- and 53-Across |
| 37% | GREATDANE | 9 | Popular pet … or an apt description for 17-, 28- or 45-Across |
| 36% | GEE | 3 | Command to an ox |
| 36% | ONEANDDONE | 10 | Never to be repeated ... or an apt pronouncement after following the instructions sequentially in 17-, 25-, 39- and 49-Across? |
| 36% | MRINBETWEEN | 11 | "Don't mess with" him, per an old song lyric ... or a hint to 18-, 20-, 55- and 58-Across |
| 36% | SICEM | 5 | Command to an attack dog |
| 36% | DOWNBOY | 7 | Command to an overfriendly canine |
| 36% | SIC | 3 | Command to an attack dog |
| 36% | STAY | 4 | Command to an antsy dog |
| 36% | STAY | 4 | Command to an eager puppy |
| 36% | STAY | 4 | Command to an excitable pup |
| 36% | ANIMALSPIRITS | 13 | Keynesian term for emotional factors that affect financial decision-making . . . or an apt description of 18-, 24-, 50-, and 57-Across |
| 36% | IMDB | 4 | One place to find 18-, 28-, 49- and 64-Across ... or, parsed differently, how these people might introduce themselves |
| 35% | CHANGELANES | 11 | What you might do to pass on an Interstate ... or a phonetic hint to the starts of 18-, 28- and 50-Across |
| 35% | SICEM | 5 | Command to an attack dog (2 wds.) |
| 35% | IMDOWN | 6 | "Count me in!," or an apt description of the answers to the starred clues |
| 34% | ALAMODE | 7 | Fashionable, or an apt description of the ends of the answers to the starred clues |
| 34% | SOUNDBITES | 10 | Broadcast news snippets ... or an apt description for 17-, 28- and 46-Across? |
| 34% | NOWYOUSEEITNOWYOUDONT | 21 | Magic words, or an apt phrase describing 32-Across |
| 34% | HAYDNGOSEEK | 11 | Command to an Austrian composer on a scavenger hunt? |
| 33% | TWOCANPLAY | 10 | With 28-Down, words to a cheater ... or an honest hint to the answers to starred clues |
| 33% | DOH | 3 | Cry from Homer … or a phonetic hint to the ends of 18-, 27-, 48- and 62- Across |
| 33% | NBA | 3 | Org. for the ends of 18-, 28-, 47- and 62-Across |
| 33% | STARTUP | 7 | With 40-Across, money required to open a business ... or a hint to 18-, 24-, 47- and 57-Across |