| 100% | SIN | 3 | Do something you need to atone for |
| 73% | SIN | 3 | Something you may need to atone for |
| 64% | SPELL | 5 | Something you need to do to solve crosswords |
| 61% | EAT | 3 | Something you need to do at least twice a day to continue to live |
| 60% | PAY | 3 | What you need to do when buying something |
| 57% | GASUP | 5 | Something you don't need to do in a Chevy Volt |
| 54% | DROPINS | 7 | Unexpected guests, and what you need to do to seven Across answers for their clues to make sense |
| 52% | INCODE | 6 | Like something you need to break to understand |
| 51% | LAP | 3 | You need to sit down for this |
| 51% | TAN | 3 | Something you go to a beach for |
| 50% | SIN | 3 | Something to atone for |
| 50% | HIRE | 4 | You need to do this in order to fire |
| 49% | INFO | 4 | Stuff you need to know, for short |
| 49% | TIME | 4 | Something you might need to kill |
| 49% | TIE | 3 | Something you do to your shoelace |
| 49% | TASK | 4 | Something that needs to be done |
| 48% | WEREALLSET | 10 | "You don't need to do anything else for us" |
| 48% | BRAILLE | 7 | Writing system you need to get a feel for? |
| 48% | VANE | 4 | Something you always need directions to use? |
| 48% | TOOLSOFTHETRADE | 15 | You need these to do the job |
| 48% | SIGNON | 6 | You need a password to do it |
| 48% | TIE | 3 | Something you'll do to your shoelace |
| 48% | NONO | 4 | Something you're not supposed to do |
| 47% | TAXI | 4 | Something you might need to get to Broadway |
| 47% | NONO | 4 | Something you aren't allowed to do: Hyph. |
| 47% | POSE | 4 | Something you might have to sit still for |
| 47% | AWORD | 5 | "I need to tell you something" |
| 47% | BRA | 3 | Something you may need to get off your chest |
| 47% | TENNIS | 6 | Something you'll have to go to court for? |
| 47% | BOREDOM | 7 | Something you feel when there's nothing to do |