| 100% | ELSIE | 5 | Borden cow ... and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's four longest answers |
| 70% | TRIPOLI | 7 | Capital of Libya, and a phonetic hint to a feature of this puzzle's four longest answers |
| 67% | BANDE | 5 | Burglary, for short ... and a hint to this puzzle's four longest answers |
| 66% | KEWPIE | 6 | Collectible doll, and a phonetic hint to four long puzzle answers |
| 66% | PANDL | 5 | CFO's monetary report, and a hint to this puzzle's four longest answers |
| 64% | NOPE | 4 | Casual refusal ... and, another way, a hint to this puzzle's four longest answers |
| 61% | NOUSE | 5 | Pointless, or a phonetic hint to five of this puzzle's long answers |
| 60% | ESPYAWARDS | 10 | Honors for athletes, and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 60% | EMPTYWORDS | 10 | Blather, and a phonetic hint to the four other longest answers |
| 60% | SHIFTYEYES | 10 | Sign of deceit, and a phonetic hint to four puzzle answers |
| 60% | MIDDLEC | 7 | Keyboard centerpiece, and a phonetic hint to six long puzzle answers |
| 59% | SNL | 3 | NBC fixture fond of wordplay, and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's spoonerisms |
| 59% | ONEEYEDROP | 10 | Minimal red-removing amount ... and a phonetic hint to four long answers |
| 57% | THEIDES | 7 | Date that provides a phonetic hint to four other answers in this puzzle |
| 57% | ABSENTEES | 9 | Educators' concerns ... or, a phonetic hint to how four long puzzle answers were derived |
| 57% | YOUSEE | 6 | "It's like this," and a phonetic hint to the five longest Across answers |
| 56% | DPS | 3 | MLB rally killers, briefly, and a hint to what's in the four longest puzzle answers |
| 56% | ARGON | 5 | About 1% of Earth's atmosphere, and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's gimmick |
| 55% | LOL | 3 | Response to a funny text, and a hint to this puzzle's five longest answers |
| 55% | LEGUP | 5 | Boost, and a hint to four of this puzzle's answers |
| 55% | INREVERSE | 9 | Backwards, and a hint to four of this puzzle's answers |
| 55% | NOWISE | 6 | Without any chance at all (and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme) |
| 55% | DOUBLEDOWN | 10 | Strengthen one's commitment ... and a hint to four answers in this puzzle |
| 55% | KITCHENMATCH | 12 | Pilot lighter, and a hint to the four other longest puzzle answers |
| 55% | NONOS | 5 | Taboos, and a hint to the four longest puzzle answers |
| 55% | HANDSDOWN | 9 | Easily ... and a hint to four answers in this puzzle |
| 54% | HERESWHY | 8 | "Allow me to explain," and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 54% | EMMY | 4 | TV award, and a homophonic hint to the four longest puzzle answers |
| 54% | BODYOFWATER | 11 | Geographic feature, and a hint to four answers in this puzzle |
| 54% | LIFTOFF | 7 | Launchpad event, and a hint to four answers in this puzzle |