| 100% | ABSENTEES | 9 | Educators' concerns ... or, a phonetic hint to how four long puzzle answers were derived |
| 53% | PARADISELOST | 12 | John Milton epic, and a hint to how four long answers in this puzzle were formed |
| 52% | KEWPIE | 6 | Collectible doll, and a phonetic hint to four long puzzle answers |
| 51% | ELSIE | 5 | Borden cow ... and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's four longest answers |
| 50% | NOUSE | 5 | Pointless, or a phonetic hint to five of this puzzle's long answers |
| 50% | TRIPOLI | 7 | Capital of Libya, and a phonetic hint to a feature of this puzzle's four longest answers |
| 49% | 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 |
| 46% | SHIFTYEYES | 10 | Sign of deceit, and a phonetic hint to four puzzle answers |
| 46% | MIDDLEC | 7 | Keyboard centerpiece, and a phonetic hint to six long puzzle answers |
| 45% | ONEEYEDROP | 10 | Minimal red-removing amount ... and a phonetic hint to four long answers |
| 45% | THEIDES | 7 | Date that provides a phonetic hint to four other answers in this puzzle |
| 45% | POSTHASTE | 9 | With immediacy, or a hint to the four other longest puzzle answers |
| 45% | EMMY | 4 | TV award, and a homophonic hint to the four longest puzzle answers |
| 45% | NONOS | 5 | Taboos, and a hint to the four longest puzzle answers |
| 44% | STRIPTEASE | 10 | 1996 Demi Moore film ... and a hint to how four puzzle answers were created |
| 44% | EMPTYWORDS | 10 | Blather, and a phonetic hint to the four other longest answers |
| 43% | DOUBLECROSS | 11 | Betray ... or a hint to four answers in this puzzle |
| 43% | TOPOFTHEMORNING | 15 | Supposedly Irish greeting ... or a hint to four long answers |
| 43% | CORPORATEMERGER | 15 | Business acquisition ... or a hint to how the answers to the starred clues in this puzzle were formed? |
| 43% | DOWNUNDER | 9 | Nickname for 18-Across, and a hint to how four answers in this puzzle are to be entered |
| 43% | POPUPAD | 7 | Internet nuisance ... or a hint to four answers in this puzzle |
| 43% | BLACKHAT | 8 | Western villain ... or a hint to four answers in this puzzle |
| 42% | ILLSECONDTHAT | 13 | "Amen!" ... or a hint to the start of four other long answers |
| 42% | RINGOFFIRE | 10 | 17-Across hit ... or a hint to four connected answers in this puzzle |
| 42% | MINDOVERMATTER | 14 | Slogan about willpower ... or a hint to four pairs of answers in this puzzle |
| 42% | FLIPONESLID | 11 | Go crazy ... or a hint on how to enter five answers in this puzzle |
| 42% | TURNKEYS | 8 | Jailers ... or a hint to "unlocking" four answers in this puzzle |
| 41% | HOLYCOW | 7 | "Wow!" ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 41% | GRECOROMAN | 10 | Kind of wrestling ... or a hint to four pairs of crossing answers in this puzzle |
| 41% | OVERUNDER | 9 | Sports bet based on total points scored ... or a hint to answering four puzzle clues |