| 100% | TEASEAPART | 10 | Carefully distinguish ... or a phonetic hint to the first and last letters of 17-, 26-, 48-, and 61-Across |
| 62% | DOUBLEHEADERS | 13 | Baseball rarities nowadays ... or a phonetic hint to the starts of 17-, 26-, 48- and 57-Across |
| 60% | SEEMEAFTERCLASS | 15 | Ominous request from a teacher ... or a hint to the first words (and following letters!) of 17-, 26- and 43-Across |
| 58% | AREYOUOKAY | 10 | Query of concern … or a phonetic hint to two pairs of letters appearing in 17-, 24-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 55% | DOH | 3 | Cry from Homer … or a phonetic hint to the ends of 18-, 27-, 48- and 62- Across |
| 55% | HALFTIME | 8 | Game break … or a hint to interpreting the first parts of 17-, 26-, 36-, and 52-Across? |
| 53% | HAPPYFOURTH | 11 | Annual greeting ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 26-, 39- and 48-Across |
| 53% | PENCILMEIN | 10 | Tentative "It's a date" ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 26-, and 48-Across |
| 52% | HUEANDCRY | 9 | Public uproar … or a phonetic hint to the two words in 17-, 28- and 48-Across? |
| 52% | NOTMYFIRSTRODEO | 15 | "Done this before, you know!" ... or a hint to the last words of 17-, 23-, 31-, 40- and 48-Across |
| 51% | IFIWEREYOU | 10 | Start of some advice … or a phonetic hint to 17-, 24-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 51% | DEVIOUS | 7 | Sly, and a phonetic hint to the pattern in the last words of 17-, 24-, 42-, and 58-Across |
| 49% | CATCHMEIFYOUCAN | 15 | 2002 Spielberg film ... and a hint to the start of 17-, 26- and 48-Across |
| 49% | SCRAMBLEDEGGS | 13 | Breakfast order ... and a hint to the last words of 17-, 26-, 51- and 58-Across |
| 48% | BUTTHEADS | 9 | Disagree ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 26-, 40- and 49-Across |
| 48% | THREEON | 7 | Bases loaded ... or a hint to the contents of 17-, 26-, 44- and 56-Across |
| 48% | HORSEPLAY | 9 | Roughhousing ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 21-, 26-, 33-, 40-, 43-, 47- and 56-Across |
| 48% | SODAMIXER | 9 | Ingredient in some cocktails ... or a hint to the last words in 17-, 23-, 32-, 43- and 48-Across |
| 48% | SOMETHINGWICKED | 15 | Start of a Ray Bradbury title ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 26-, 49- and 62-Across |
| 47% | SPLITENDS | 9 | Hair challenge … or a hint to the last words of 17-, 25-, 37- and 51-Across |
| 47% | THEPLOTTHICKENS | 15 | "Now things are getting interesting" ... or a hint to the first words of 17-, 24-, 45- and 57-Across |
| 47% | MAKEUP | 6 | Reconcile after a quarrel … or a hint to the starts of 17-, 25-, 52- and 61-Across |
| 47% | STICKWITHIT | 11 | Persevere, or a hint to the ends of the answers to 17-, 26-, 53-, and 62-Across |
| 47% | HOLDIT | 6 | "Stop right there!" … or a hint to the first words of 17-, 23-, 47- and 59-Across |
| 47% | ANIMALHOUSE | 11 | 1978 John Belushi movie, and a hint to the first three or four letters of the starred answers |
| 46% | ESSAY | 5 | Kind of test ... or a phonetic hint to 17-, 25-, 36-, 47- and 57-Across |
| 46% | FRIENDSTOTHEEND | 15 | True buds, and a hint to the last three or four letters of each starred answer |
| 46% | FIGUREHEAD | 10 | Carved decoration on a ship's prow ... or a hint to the first word of 17-, 25-, 37- and 45-Across |
| 46% | HEY | 3 | With 61-Down, Jimi Hendrix's first single ... or a hint to the starts of 20-, 28-, 45- and 50-Across |
| 46% | ELLEWOODS | 9 | "Legally Blonde" protagonist... or a phonetic hint to 12 Across and 17 Across |