| 100% | LING | 4 | CNN's "This Is Life with Lisa ___" |
| 100% | LING | 4 | CNN's "This Is Life With Lisa __" |
| 70% | LING | 4 | Lisa who hosts CNN's "This Is Life" |
| 63% | LISA | 4 | "This Is Life With ___ Ling" (CNN series) |
| 54% | LING | 4 | "This Is Life" host Lisa |
| 54% | LING | 4 | “This Is Life” journalist Lisa |
| 48% | THEWIND | 7 | Scarlett O'Hara's way of life was gone with this |
| 47% | THEFRIENDSWEMADEALONG | 21 | With 126/127 Across, companions on our life's journey who were more valuable to us than our destination ... and an alternate title for this puzzle |
| 47% | BIO | 3 | This is your life |
| 47% | GETUSEDTOIT | 11 | "Better adapt, because this is life now!" |
| 46% | AWE | 3 | CNN reported that shock coupled with this was underway in March 2003 |
| 46% | OEDIPAL | 7 | Freudian son's obsession with mother is this |
| 45% | KINGS | 5 | With 101-Across, where this puzzle's enclosed answer is located |
| 45% | MOZART | 6 | Amadeus was the movie of this composer's life |
| 45% | BROADCITY | 9 | American sitcom based on Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson's real life friendship which will air its ending with the final season this year (2019): 2 wds. |
| 45% | ALES | 4 | These are often drawn with big heads |
| 44% | COOKBOOK | 8 | This is filled with recipe lists and instructions |
| 44% | THEHILLS | 8 | These are alive with the sound of music |
| 44% | THE | 3 | With 66-Across, where this puzzle's circled things can all be found |
| 43% | BIRDNEST | 8 | This soup is made with a swiftlet's home |
| 43% | JULES | 5 | With 141-Down, author whose work is the basis of this puzzle's theme |
| 43% | SANTA | 5 | With 2-Down, holiday visitor whose journey is sprinkled throughout this week's puzzles |
| 42% | PARTING | 7 | With 58-Across, what this puzzle's circled letters are ... or what they're doing |
| 42% | EVERCLEAR | 9 | 90's band with the hit "I Will Buy You a New Life" |
| 41% | SHIRE | 5 | This place is absolutely teeming with Hobbits! |
| 41% | NOTA | 4 | "This is ___ toy!" ("Be careful with this!"): 2 wds. |
| 41% | WAS | 3 | "That __ Then, This Is Now" (1971 S. E. Hinton novel) |
| 41% | GOINGIN | 7 | With 43-Across, what this puzzle is doing |
| 41% | NEST | 4 | With lammergeiers, this could be eight feet across |
| 41% | TIC | 3 | With 40- and 43-Across, game that's been played in each of this puzzle's corners |