| 100% | PATHTOVICTORY | 13 | Election night calculation ... or what's traced by the circled letters |
| 54% | RINSECYCLE | 10 | Part of washing ... or what's exhibited by the circled letters from top to bottom |
| 51% | SMILEYFACE | 10 | What's formed by the circled letters in this puzzle |
| 51% | OFFONALARK | 10 | What's depicted by the circled letters in 41-/49-Across |
| 43% | BACKCHANNEL | 11 | Covert means of communication ... or what's hiding in the circled letters? |
| 41% | SILENTNIGHT | 11 | Song of 1859 ... or what the five circled letters represent? |
| 41% | CUTOUTOFWHOLECLOTH | 18 | Completely false, or what the letters between the circles are? |
| 41% | FRIEDRICE | 9 | Chinese menu standard, or what's literally found in the circled letters? |
| 41% | SANDTRAPS | 9 | Golf hazards, or what the letters between the circles have fallen into |
| 40% | STRINGQUARTET | 13 | Classical music group ... or what the four sets of circled letters make up? |
| 40% | INNERCITIES | 11 | Urban areas (as hinted at by the circled letters in this puzzle's grid) |
| 39% | SINE | 4 | Function represented by the circled letters |
| 39% | BANANA | 6 | Fruit depicted by the circled letters |
| 39% | TWISTTHEKNIFE | 13 | Increase someone's distress, as exemplified by the circled letters |
| 39% | HIDEANDSEEK | 11 | Children's game hinted at by the circled letters |
| 39% | SPRINGFORWARDFALLBACK | 21 | Timely mnemonic, or what the circled letters depict |
| 39% | GOLDNUGGETS | 11 | Valuable finds suggested by the circled letters |
| 39% | STORE | 5 | Corner ___ (phrase suggested by the circled letters) |
| 39% | ROUNDOFAPPLAUSE | 15 | Hand, as depicted by the circled letters |
| 39% | TRIMMINGTHETREE | 15 | Yuletide undertaking, exemplified by the circled letters |
| 39% | SURPRISEPARTIES | 15 | Celebrations planned in secrecy ... or what's revealed by this puzzle's circled letters |
| 39% | RAMP | 4 | What each circled model in this puzzle ascends or descends, and what's spelled by the letters where the models cross |
| 38% | FINALE | 6 | What's spelled by the last letters of the six long Across phrases |
| 38% | ROLLINGSTONE | 12 | Item that gathers no moss, illustrated by the circled letters |
| 38% | CHEESEPULL | 10 | Seductive imagery in pizza ads, represented by the circled letters |
| 38% | PINOCCHIO | 9 | Disney character hinted at by the circled letters |
| 38% | SALADBOWL | 9 | Common kitchen item depicted by the circled letters |
| 38% | FALL | 4 | Season with color changes, as represented literally by the circled letters |
| 38% | SLIPPERY | 8 | With 68-Across, precarious situations, as suggested by the circled letters |
| 38% | FILECOMPRESSION | 15 | Aid in saving disk space, as displayed by the circled letters |