| 100% | TASTING | 7 | Cider ___, popular fall tradition to test the flavor of the season |
| 50% | MOON | 4 | Harvest ___ viewing, popular tradition to celebrate the first day of fall |
| 42% | AURORA | 6 | ___ season, another term for Fall due to the brilliant display of Northern Lights |
| 40% | CARVE | 5 | ___ a pumpkin to celebrate the great fall tradition of Halloween |
| 40% | CSI | 3 | Drama that was the #1 show of the season from fall 2002 to spring 2005 |
| 40% | TASTE | 5 | Test the flavor of |
| 40% | TASTED | 6 | Tested the flavor of |
| 38% | HEFT | 4 | Hold to test the weight of |
| 38% | HEFTS | 5 | Lifts to test the weight of |
| 37% | TOE | 3 | Digit used to test the temperature of water |
| 37% | SANK | 4 | Fell to the bottom of the sea |
| 37% | SUNK | 4 | Fallen to the bottom of the sea |
| 37% | SANK | 4 | Fell to the bottom of the ocean |
| 36% | PALEBEACH | 9 | Popular tanning spot at the start of the season? [SEE PREVIOUS CLUE] |
| 36% | TOE | 3 | What you might use to test the temperature of a bath |
| 34% | VERNAL | 6 | Pertaining to the season of spring |
| 34% | HOPESPRINGSETERNAL | 18 | *Alexander Pope phrase appropriate to the start of a sports season |
| 33% | CATCHPHRASE | 11 | Popular expression ... or what the opposite of the answer to each starred clue is? |
| 33% | HAZZARD | 7 | The Dukes of __, popular TV show from '79 to '85 |
| 33% | PAGODATREE | 10 | Popular ornamental tree of the pea family native to China |
| 33% | NOJPETEN | 8 | Capital city of the last Maya kingdom to fall |
| 33% | TIDAL | 5 | Related to the rise and fall of the ocean |
| 33% | TIDAL | 5 | Relating to the rise and fall of the ocean |
| 33% | AUTUMNAL | 8 | Relating to the fall season |
| 32% | VANILLA | 7 | Fall scent extracted from orchids that enhances the flavor of autumn dishes |
| 32% | GROUNDHOG | 9 | "Happy ___ Day (woodchuck)!", a tradition that's also the name of a popular 1993 Bill Murray film... and a hint to solve 20a, 26a, 40a, 46a, and 10d |
| 32% | SIXFLAGS | 8 | Popular day trip destination ... or a hint to the starts of the answers to the starred clues |
| 32% | SALTY | 5 | *___ rim, flavored rim to enhance the taste of drinks like the Margarita or Bloody Mary |
| 32% | APPLE | 5 | ___ of the eye, fall-related idiom for something extremely precious to someone |
| 32% | TIDAL | 5 | Having to do with the rise and fall of the sea |