| 100% | ITHADTOBEYOU | 12 | Classic song about a soulmate … or a phonetic hint for repeated pairs of letters in 19-, 27- and 42-Across |
| 51% | AREYOUOKAY | 10 | Query of concern … or a phonetic hint to two pairs of letters appearing in 17-, 24-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 41% | DOH | 3 | Cry from Homer … or a phonetic hint to the ends of 18-, 27-, 48- and 62- Across |
| 41% | TIMEINABOTTLE | 13 | Classic Jim Croce song, or a stretch for the ends of 19-, 25-, and 49-Across? |
| 39% | CANISTEALYOUFORASECOND | 22 | Request for one-on-one time in the "Bachelor" TV franchise … or a phonetic hint to four pairs of answers in this puzzle |
| 37% | BOUNDTOHAPPEN | 13 | Inevitable ... or a hint for 19-, 27- and 48-Across |
| 37% | TEASEAPART | 10 | Carefully distinguish ... or a phonetic hint to the first and last letters of 17-, 26-, 48-, and 61-Across |
| 36% | DEVIOUS | 7 | Sly, and a phonetic hint to the pattern in the last words of 17-, 24-, 42-, and 58-Across |
| 36% | HERESJOHNNY | 11 | Classic TV intro ... or a hint to the starts of 16-, 22-, 30-, 42- and 47-Across |
| 36% | EIEIO | 5 | Refrain in a children's song ... or a literal feature of 17-, 25-, 42- and 55-Across |
| 35% | EASYONTHEEYES | 13 | Pleasing to look at ... or a phonetic hint to a two-letter sequence in 16-, 20-, 51- and 56-Across |
| 35% | HAUNTEDHOUSE | 12 | Halloween attraction, or what 19-, 27-/32-, and 42-Across all might be a part of? |
| 35% | THEBIGAPPLE | 11 | Empire State Building locale ... or a hint to three letters in 16-, 19-, 52- and 57-Across |
| 35% | THATSMYJAM | 10 | “I love this song!” . . . or a hint to the starts of 17-, 27-, 39-, and 52-Across |
| 35% | MIDDLESEAT | 10 | Cramped spot for a plane passenger ... or a hint to something hidden in 17-, 26-, 34-, 42- and 51-Across |
| 35% | ONETWOTHREEKICK | 15 | Classic Xavier Cugat song ... or a hint to the invitation in the circled letters |
| 34% | WELCOMETOMYCRIB | 15 | Catchphrase of a classic MTV show … or a hint for the starts of 16-, 24-, 36- and 48-Across |
| 34% | NOEL | 4 | Seasonal song ... or a phonetic hint to 18-, 23-, 37-, 52- and 59-Across |
| 34% | DINEANDDASH | 11 | Not pay for a meal at a restaurant ... or a hint to each half of 16-, 19-, 34- and 50-Across |
| 34% | DOUBLEHEADERS | 13 | Baseball rarities nowadays ... or a phonetic hint to the starts of 17-, 26-, 48- and 57-Across |
| 34% | HOLYTRINITY | 11 | Central Christian belief … or a phonetic hint to 17-, 27- and 44-Across |
| 34% | DOTDOTDOT | 9 | Indication of more to come … or a hint to a feature of three consecutive letters in 18-, 20-, 59- and 61-Across |
| 34% | THEEIGHTIES | 11 | When Pac-Man and Rubik's Cube were popular ... or a phonetic hint for 17-, 23-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 33% | ARTOODETOO | 10 | "Star Wars" droid ... or a phonetic hint to what's found in 17-, 26-, 41- and 52-Across |
| 33% | ITSNOTYOUITSME | 14 | Classic breakup excuse … or a phonetic hint to 23-, 36-, 47-, 67-, 86- and 93-Across |
| 33% | BBQ | 3 | Summer event, briefly ... or a phonetic hint to 19-, 26-, 47- and 53-Across |
| 33% | MINDOVERMATTER | 14 | Slogan about willpower ... or a hint to four pairs of answers in this puzzle |
| 33% | LETTEROPENER | 12 | Sharp device in a classic desk set, or a literal and phonetic description of the ends of 20-, 28-, 36-, and 48-Across? |
| 33% | ESSAY | 5 | Kind of test ... or a phonetic hint to 17-, 25-, 36-, 47- and 57-Across |
| 33% | IFIWEREYOU | 10 | Start of some advice … or a phonetic hint to 17-, 24-, 37- and 48-Across |