| 100% | FINISHLINE | 10 | End of a race … or a hint to the conversation closers at 18-, 26- and 42-Across |
| 64% | VERBALGYMNASTICS | 16 | Fancy, evasive language ... or a hint to the ends of 18-, 26-, 54- and 65-Across |
| 58% | HAPPYFOURTH | 11 | Annual greeting ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 26-, 39- and 48-Across |
| 58% | YOUREFIRED | 10 | Dreaded cry from a boss ... or a hint to the ends of 18-, 23-, 40- and 53-Across |
| 58% | DIDYOUCATCHTHAT | 15 | "Someone say something?" or a hint to the ends of 18-, 20-, 54- and 59-Across |
| 58% | CUETHEMUSIC | 11 | Instruction to start playing ... or a hint to the end of 18-, 24-, 49- and 56-Across |
| 57% | DOH | 3 | Cry from Homer … or a phonetic hint to the ends of 18-, 27-, 48- and 62- Across |
| 57% | STICKWITHIT | 11 | Persevere, or a hint to the ends of the answers to 17-, 26-, 53-, and 62-Across |
| 57% | MOCKTAIL | 8 | Nonalcoholic mixed drink … or a hint to the synonyms found at the ends of 16-, 24-, 37- and 51-Across |
| 57% | HORSEPLAY | 9 | Roughhousing ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 21-, 26-, 33-, 40-, 43-, 47- and 56-Across |
| 54% | MIDAUGHTS | 9 | Part of the George W. Bush era ... or a hint to part of 18-, 26-, 38- and 46-Across |
| 53% | BUTTHEADS | 9 | Disagree ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 26-, 40- and 49-Across |
| 53% | IMONYOURSIDE | 12 | Words of full support, or a hint to the ends of 20-, 27-, 35- and 48-Across |
| 53% | PLAYINGWITHFIRE | 15 | Doing something risky ... or a hint to the last words of 18-, 24-, 49- and 58-Across |
| 53% | SAUSAGELINK | 11 | Breakfast side order ... or a hint to the last words of 18-, 23-, 34- and 49-Across |
| 53% | THREEON | 7 | Bases loaded ... or a hint to the contents of 17-, 26-, 44- and 56-Across |
| 53% | SOAPS | 5 | Afternoon fare ... or a hint to the ends of 20-, 33-, 41- and 52-Across |
| 53% | BBQ | 3 | Cookout, briefly ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 23-, 52- and 58-Across |
| 53% | ATHLETICCUP | 11 | Protective sportswear ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 24-, 36- and 51-Across |
| 52% | PIDAY | 5 | Mid-March celebration ... or a hint to the starts of 18-, 25-, 44- and 57-Across |
| 52% | BEACHFRONT | 10 | Property along the ocean ... or a hint to the starts of 18-, 23-, 36- and 47-Across |
| 52% | PENCILMEIN | 10 | Tentative "It's a date" ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 26-, and 48-Across |
| 52% | ITMEANSALOTTOME | 15 | "I'm deeply indebted" ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 25-, 51- and 64-Across |
| 52% | WHATARACKET | 11 | "Boy, is that loud!" ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 25-, 38- and 49-Across |
| 52% | AGEDIFFERENCE | 13 | 83, for the creators of this puzzle ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 25-, 51- and 60-Across |
| 52% | ROLLWITHIT | 10 | Be willing to accept whatever ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 23-, 36- and 46-Across |
| 52% | MAIL | 4 | With 37-Across, perform perfunctorily … or a hint to the ends of 16-, 25-, 41- and 55-Across |
| 52% | HOLDMYBEER | 10 | Comment before a stupid stunt ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 25-, 36- and 50-Across |
| 52% | MIDDLE | 6 | With 44-Down, educational stage ... or a hint to the contents of 18-, 22-, 47- and 53-Across |
| 52% | FACERECOGNITION | 15 | Technology used by smartphones nowadays ... or a hint to the ends of 16-, 24-, 44- and 57-Across |