| 100% | THIRDEYEBLIND | 13 | Band with the 1997 hit "Semi-Charmed Life" … or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 56% | HOLYCOW | 7 | "Wow!" ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 56% | BEQUIET | 7 | "Shut up!" ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 55% | H2O | 3 | Fire fighter, familiarly … or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 52% | MEETINTHEMIDDLE | 15 | Compromise ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's shaded squares |
| 51% | SEACREATURE | 11 | Aquatic denizen … or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's circled words |
| 50% | TEALEAVES | 9 | Divination aids … or a phonetic hint to the shaded squares in this puzzle |
| 50% | FULLSCALE | 9 | Life-size … or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 50% | Y2K | 3 | Big scare of a couple of decades ago ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 50% | FROOT | 5 | With 71-Across, breakfast choice ... or a punny hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 49% | ESPYAWARDS | 10 | Honors for athletes, and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 48% | NOWISE | 6 | Without any chance at all (and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme) |
| 47% | SEE | 3 | With 70- and 71-Across, agree ... and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | PARESDOWN | 9 | Gradually trims … or a phonetic second hint to solving this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | NOUSE | 5 | Pointless, or a phonetic hint to five of this puzzle's long answers |
| 47% | GRAY | 4 | With 32-Down, ambiguity ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | NICKELBACK | 10 | Band with the 2001 #1 hit "How You Remind Me" … or a hint to entering 54-Across |
| 46% | FRESHPAIROFEYES | 15 | New look provider ... or a homophonic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 46% | THREEMUSKETEERS | 15 | Group with a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 46% | LEFTRIGHT | 9 | With 64-Across, the political spectrum, and a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 46% | HERESWHY | 8 | "Allow me to explain," and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 45% | ITS | 3 | With 40-Across, a chorus line ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 45% | JACKIN | 6 | With 48-Down, children's toy ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 45% | UMINUM | 6 | With 42-Down, home construction material ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 45% | GRANDCENTRAL | 12 | Famous place with a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 45% | ONAMARCH | 8 | Parading ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 45% | ADDICT | 6 | Fiend … or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 45% | APART | 5 | Separate ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 45% | CATCHINGSOMEZZ | 14 | Asleep ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 45% | ELONGATE | 8 | Stretch ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme? |