| 100% | NEONSIGN | 8 | Bright attention-grabbing advertisement, like in Vegas or Times Square: 2 wds. |
| 36% | SEEDY | 5 | Like an everything bagel, or Times Square in the '70s |
| 34% | NEWYORK | 7 | City of Times Square: 2 wds. |
| 33% | ONTAP | 5 | Like bar beer that's not in bottles or cans: 2 wds. |
| 33% | OVERPAR | 7 | Like a bogey or double bogey, in golf (2 wds.) |
| 31% | SUPERIOR | 8 | Like the 2 in "x squared" |
| 30% | MATHTEST | 8 | Exam in algebra or arithmetic: 2 wds. |
| 30% | NEON | 4 | Bright light in Times Square |
| 30% | NEONS | 5 | Bright signs in Times Square |
| 30% | TOOLATE | 7 | Not in time: 2 wds. |
| 30% | BALLDROP | 8 | New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square commonly referred to as the ___: 2 wds. |
| 29% | PINUP | 5 | Like some centerfolds, or posters: 2 wds |
| 29% | NEWAGER | 7 | Musician like John Tesh or Enya: 2 wds. |
| 29% | LEAPYEAR | 8 | Like 2012, 2016, or 2020: 2 wds. |
| 28% | BLACKFRIDAY | 11 | Time of annual madness ... or a hint to four squares in this puzzle |
| 28% | POPSTAR | 7 | Singer like Taylor Swift or Harry Styles: 2 wds. |
| 28% | USOPEN | 6 | Major event in tennis or golf: 2 wds., abbr. |
| 28% | FLIESBY | 7 | Passes quickly, like time: 2 wds. |
| 28% | APOD | 4 | Like two peas in ___: 2 wds. |
| 28% | BALLDROP | 8 | Times Square action on New Year's Eve (2 wds.) |
| 28% | POORTASTE | 9 | In ___ (crude or inappropriate): 2 wds. |
| 28% | ATALL | 5 | In no time ___ (instantly): 2 wds. |
| 28% | TIMED | 5 | Like the crossword in the New York Times app, but not Spelling Bee or Wordle |
| 27% | SUN | 3 | Space heater, or what's hiding in 2 of this puzzle's squares |
| 27% | ABIT | 4 | In ___ (after some time): 2 wds. |
| 27% | CHARLESGRODIN | 13 | "Beethoven" star who starred in "Seems Like Old Times": 2 wds. |
| 27% | DUGUP | 5 | Unearthed, like fossils or evidence: 2 wds. |
| 26% | BOXINGDAY | 9 | Present time in England? ... or a hint to each set of circled squares |
| 26% | STATEPEN | 8 | Prison like Sing Sing or San Quentin, for short: 2 wds. |
| 26% | HISSAT | 6 | Noisily warn, like a cat or a snake: 2 wds. |