| 100% | EARLGREY | 8 | Black tea with a hint of bergamot |
| 53% | HERSHEYIPA | 10 | Brew with a hint of chocolate? |
| 53% | SASS | 4 | Reply with a hint of attitude |
| 52% | LAPSANGSOUCHONG | 15 | Chinese black tea with a smoky flavor |
| 50% | EARLGREY | 8 | Black tea with bergamot, named after past leader |
| 47% | AND | 3 | + ... with a hint to four pairs of answers in this puzzle |
| 46% | YEAROFTHEMONKEY | 15 | 2004 ... with a hint to the starts of 20-, 34- and 51-Across |
| 44% | THENUTCRACKER | 13 | Classic ballet set on Christmas Eve, with a hint to four black squares in this puzzle |
| 44% | EMO | 3 | Fashion category with a lot of black |
| 44% | MANBABY | 7 | Certain immature adult … with a hint to both halves of the answers to each starred clue |
| 43% | LABRADOR | 8 | — retriever, dog with a short dense coat of black or golden-brown |
| 43% | LONDON | 6 | 2012 Olympics locale, with a hint to the ends of the answers to the six starred clues |
| 43% | COOKIES | 7 | Dunkable treats like Snickerdoodles that pair perfectly with a steaming cup of tea |
| 42% | EMPTYCALORIES | 13 | What many junk foods contain ... with a hint to the initials of 17-, 25-, 48- and 56-Across |
| 42% | EARL | 4 | With 52-Across, type of tea named for a British prime minister |
| 41% | PRIMEREALESTATE | 15 | Asset that's all about "location, location, location" ... with a hint to the starts of 21-, 26- and 49-Across |
| 40% | CHINA | 5 | Country with a wedding tradition where a tea ceremony is conducted on the day of the wedding |
| 40% | TASTE | 5 | Get a hint of |
| 40% | DETECT | 6 | Get a hint of |
| 40% | ANY | 3 | Even a hint of |
| 40% | DETECT | 6 | Catch a hint of |
| 40% | WHATSTHEMATTER | 14 | Question of concern, with a hint to 20-, 25- and 43-Across |
| 40% | BAY | 3 | Horse with a reddish-brown body and black point coloration of mane, tail, ear edges, and lower legs |
| 39% | EARL | 4 | ___ Grey tea, type of black tea that's been flavored with oil of bergamot and is believed to boost heart health |
| 39% | ICILY | 5 | Without a hint of cordiality |
| 39% | INEARNEST | 9 | Without a hint of irony |
| 39% | SEVERELY | 8 | Without a hint of leniency |
| 39% | DOI | 3 | "___ detect a hint of sarcasm?" |
| 39% | GHOSTBUSTERS | 12 | 1984 supernatural movie with a 2016 reboot ... or a description of the black squares between the groups of circles? |
| 39% | BACKSPACE | 9 | PC key with a left-pointing arrow ... and hint to the last words of the answers to starred clues |