| 100% | NEW | 3 | Destroyer "USS ___", laid down in '45, but transferred to South Korea in '77 and served as ROKS Taejon until 2001 |
| 23% | PELOPS | 6 | Son of Tantalus in Greek mythology killed by his father and served to the gods as a meal |
| 23% | CONSEQUENTIALLY | 15 | As a result, and a hint to a three-letter chunk in the five long Down answers |
| 23% | COD | 3 | USS ___: vessel currently moored in Cleveland's North Coast Harbor and open to visitors as a museum ship |
| 21% | MADD | 4 | Tree with edible fruit, native to western Africa, known as the weda in French and the Moore language, but known as this in Wolof |
| 21% | TREAT | 5 | Goodies mentioned in 19a, 23a, 32a, 45a, and 21d which if brought to life will serve both as a "trick and a ___" this Halloween! |
| 21% | AVI | 3 | Attorney Berkowitz who advises Jared Kushner and serves as Assistant to the President |
| 21% | SOL | 3 | — Campbell, footballer who first transferred to Arsenal in 2001 |
| 20% | WOUK | 4 | Herman, who got his first publisher's contract serving onboard the USS Southard and went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1952 |
| 20% | LIMPOPO | 7 | River that serves as the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa |
| 20% | RYE | 3 | Bread made from this grain is higher in fiber and flavor as compared to white bread |
| 20% | AGED | 4 | Left to improve, as in some 80 Down |
| 20% | BOB | 3 | Go up and down, as in the water |
| 20% | PSALMS | 6 | Whence the phrase "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep" |
| 19% | JIMBUNNING | 10 | Nine-time MLB All-Star who served as U.S. representative and 21-Down from Kentucky from 1987 to 2011 (2 wds.) |
| 19% | AMANA | 5 | Genus of flowering bulbs closely related to tulips found in China, Japan and Korea |
| 19% | INAUGURALPOET | 13 | What Bill Clinton invited 17-Across to serve as in January 1993: 2 wds. |
| 19% | IFIWEREYOU | 10 | Lead-in to a bit of advice, and a hint as to how 17-, 24-, 37- and 45-Across might arise |
| 19% | ASL | 3 | Syst. in which bobbing one’s fist up and down translates to “yes” |
| 19% | BECAUSEISAIDSO | 14 | Reply to the question in 13- and 57-Down |
| 19% | LOTTE | 5 | ___ World Tower, skyscraper in South Korea said to be amongst the tallest buildings in the world |
| 19% | FORD | 4 | Only president to serve as both vice president and president without being elected to either office |
| 19% | MONOGYNY | 8 | Practice of males mating with one female, but not vice versa, as in bees and ants |
| 19% | CUT | 3 | The "Lesedi La Rona" was sold as is in 2017 and was then destined to be ___ |
| 19% | LIE | 3 | Lay down in resting position |
| 19% | PUT | 3 | Lay down in a position |
| 18% | DEION | 5 | ___ Sanders, NFL player who retired in 2001 but returned to play for the Baltimore Ravens in 2004 |
| 18% | DONTBIGEMPTY | 12 | With 45 Across, a query put to Bob Hope in 1939's The Cat and the Canary |
| 18% | KEEPITPG | 8 | "Tone down that PDA, there are kids around," and a hint to five answers in this puzzle |
| 18% | ROCKYMARCIANO | 13 | Boxing legend who went undefeated in his career, and serves as a possible inspiration for a popular Hollywood film series: 2 wds. |