| 100% | MUM | 3 | Close-mouthed, or change a letter in 27d to get the answer |
| 75% | CORD | 4 | Telephone wire, or change a letter in 14a to get the answer |
| 75% | MAD | 3 | Extremely upset, or change a letter in 6d to get the answer |
| 73% | MUD | 3 | Kind of pie, or change a letter in 18d to get the answer |
| 73% | WARM | 4 | Like some welcomes, or change a letter in 39a to get the answer |
| 71% | WORD | 4 | Part of a sentence, or change a letter in 22a to get the answer |
| 66% | WARD | 4 | Third ___, area in Houston home to Beyonce or change a letter in 34a to get the answer |
| 48% | SWITCHEDONTHETV | 15 | Got ready to binge-watch ... or a hint to phonetic changes in four puzzle answers |
| 47% | NAMECARDS | 9 | Labels at a dinner party ... or a hint to the circled letters hidden in the theme answers? |
| 46% | BOOT | 4 | Change a letter to get the body part it goes on |
| 45% | FINALSWEEK | 10 | Period for taking exams ... or a hint to the pattern shown in the last three or four letters of the asterisked answers |
| 44% | BACKSTORY | 9 | Fictional past, or a hint to four-letter words found in the starred answers |
| 44% | SPA | 3 | Place to get a facial or a dip in the jacuzzi |
| 42% | COMMANDTOADOGSLEDTEAM | 21 | Change a letter in 1-Across to spell... |
| 42% | GORE | 4 | Change a letter in 110-Across to spell... |
| 42% | WHATOLIVERTWISTWANTED | 21 | Change a letter in 85-Across to spell... |
| 42% | DOUBLEAGENT | 11 | Change a letter in 63-Across to spell... |
| 42% | STUBBORNBEAST | 13 | Change a letter in 46-Across to spell... |
| 42% | CLIOORERATO | 11 | Change a letter in 23-Across to spell... |
| 42% | LOSTART | 7 | Letter writing, they say ... or a hint to eight answers in this puzzle |
| 41% | NOWYOUSEEITNOWYOUDONT | 21 | Magic words … or a hint to the other long answers in this puzzle |
| 41% | CLOSEBUTNOCIGAR | 15 | "Not quite!," and what can be said about a letter string in the answer to each starred clue |
| 41% | TWISTOFLEMON | 12 | Drink garnish ... or a hint to five letters in the answer to each starred clue |
| 41% | BUGSOUT | 7 | Leaves in a hurry, or a hint to the cluing of the starred answers |
| 41% | ONETWOTHREEKICK | 15 | Classic Xavier Cugat song ... or a hint to the invitation in the circled letters |
| 41% | MANSPREADS | 10 | Crowds one's seatmates, in a way ... or a hint to the circled letters |
| 40% | EDGEWISE | 8 | One way to get a word in ... and an aural hint to a feature of the starred clues' answers |
| 40% | HIDDENGEM | 9 | Diamond in the rough ... or a literal feature of each answer to a starred clue |
| 40% | HIDDENGEM | 9 | Masterpiece waiting to be found ... or a hint to the words in the circled letters |
| 40% | SCAMS | 5 | Con jobs, or, when broken after its first letter, a hint to the starred answers |