| 100% | ATBAR | 5 | Before the court, in lawyerspeak: 2 wds. |
| 54% | SWEETSIXTEEN | 12 | Round before the Elite Eight in 18-Across (2 wds.) |
| 51% | TENTO | 5 | Shortly before the hour mark: 2 wds. |
| 48% | ASTO | 4 | In the matter of: 2 wds |
| 47% | TEXASRANGERS | 12 | Team that 27-Across played for before the Yankees: 2 wds. |
| 47% | WIREDUP | 7 | "He was all ___ before the gig." (Tense and nervous): 2 wds. |
| 47% | ONOR | 4 | "Turn in the assignment ___ before next Friday": 2 wds. |
| 47% | ONEBC | 5 | Year just before the AD period began: 2 wds. |
| 47% | GOODCOP | 7 | Police officer who talks to a suspect before the "bad" version steps in: 2 wds. |
| 46% | MADEOFF | 7 | "The burglars ___ before the cops arrived" (Departed quickly): 2 wds. |
| 46% | ALA | 3 | In the style of: 2 wds. |
| 46% | USSTEEL | 7 | The ___ Tower in Pittsburgh: 2 wds. |
| 46% | ASTO | 4 | In the matter of: 2 wds. |
| 46% | EARLYON | 7 | In the initial stages: 2 wds. |
| 46% | ALA | 3 | In the manner of: 2 wds. |
| 46% | AFTERALL | 8 | In the end: 2 wds. |
| 46% | ATALL | 5 | In the slightest: 2 wds. |
| 46% | IDO | 3 | Phrase you say before the priest pronounces you husband and wife: 2 wds. |
| 45% | ATBAT | 5 | Facing the pitcher, in baseball: 2 wds. |
| 45% | ETSEQ | 5 | And the following, in footnotes: 2 wds. |
| 45% | ATBAT | 5 | Facing the pitcher, in softball: 2 wds. |
| 45% | ATBAT | 5 | Awaiting the pitch, in baseball: 2 wds. |
| 45% | ALA | 3 | In the same manner as: 2 wds. |
| 45% | AJAR | 4 | "Put the cookie in ___" (Cookie container): 2 wds. |
| 45% | INORBIT | 7 | Circling the Earth in a path: 2 wds. |
| 45% | ATBAT | 5 | Facing the pitcher in baseball, say: 2 wds. |
| 45% | EQUALTO | 7 | The same as, in math: 2 wds. |
| 44% | EPISODEI | 8 | Words before "The Phantom Menace" in a movie title: 2 wds. |
| 44% | DRSEUSS | 7 | The Cat in the Hat's creator: 2 wds., abbr. |
| 44% | ONOR | 4 | "Turn in the assignment ___ before next Friday.": 2 wds. |