| 100% | BACKSTORY | 9 | Fictional past, or a hint to four-letter words found in the starred answers |
| 68% | SHREDDEDWHEAT | 13 | Breakfast cereal ... or a hint to what's found in the answers to the four starred clues? |
| 61% | ALLABOARD | 9 | Train conductor's cry … or a hint to each word in the answers to the starred clues |
| 61% | BLOWININTHEWIND | 15 | Bob Dylan song ... or a hint to the object found by connecting the four circled letters in a diamond |
| 60% | HOMEOFMOUNTRUSHMORE | 19 | What 15-Down is ... or a hint to the answers to the four starred clues in left-to-right order |
| 60% | FRIENDSTOTHEEND | 15 | True buds, and a hint to the last three or four letters of each starred answer |
| 59% | STILLIRISE | 10 | Classic Maya Angelou poem … or a hint to the answers to the starred clues and the circled letters, in two different ways |
| 59% | FINALSWEEK | 10 | Period for taking exams ... or a hint to the pattern shown in the last three or four letters of the asterisked answers |
| 59% | ANIMALHOUSE | 11 | 1978 John Belushi movie, and a hint to the first three or four letters of the starred answers |
| 59% | TWISTOFLEMON | 12 | Drink garnish ... or a hint to five letters in the answer to each starred clue |
| 56% | ATALOSSFORWORDS | 15 | Dumbfounded ... or a hint to the answers to the four starred clues |
| 56% | HIDDENGEM | 9 | Masterpiece waiting to be found ... or a hint to the words in the circled letters |
| 56% | JUSTADDWATER | 12 | Simple recipe instruction ... or a hint to the answers to the four starred clues |
| 56% | CRYUNCLE | 8 | Concede ... or a hint to the last words of the answers to starred clues |
| 55% | TIMEISMONEY | 11 | Benjamin Franklin adage ... or a hint to interpreting the answers to the four starred clues |
| 55% | BUTTONDOWN | 10 | Very conventional ... or a hint to the starts of the answers to the four starred clues |
| 55% | GOFETCH | 7 | Dog command … or a hint to the starts of the answers to the four starred clues |
| 55% | GROUP | 5 | With 28-Down, multisubject photos ... or a hint to the answers to the four starred clues |
| 55% | BREAKINGRANKS | 13 | Splitting with one's group ... or a hint to the theme found in four puzzle rows |
| 55% | PANDA | 5 | World Wildlife Fund logo ... or a three-word hint to the answers to the four starred clues |
| 55% | ENDSUPONTOP | 11 | Prevails eventually … or a hint to entering the answers to the six starred clues in this puzzle |
| 54% | YOUDONTSAY | 10 | "Is that so?," or a hint to the communication methods found in this puzzle's circled letters |
| 54% | TRADINGPLACES | 13 | Classic 1983 comedy … or a hint to what the answers to four pairs of starred clues are doing |
| 54% | CORPORATEMERGER | 15 | Business acquisition ... or a hint to how the answers to the starred clues in this puzzle were formed? |
| 54% | BALLRETURN | 10 | Bowling alley device, and a hint to the hidden word in each starred answer |
| 54% | BARBERSHOP | 10 | With 63-Across, singing group ... or a hint to the ends of the answers to the four starred clues |
| 54% | YOURATTENTIONPLEASE | 19 | Start of an announcement ... or a hint to what's hidden in the answers to the six starred clues |
| 54% | BUMAROUND | 9 | Wander aimlessly ... and a hint to a divided word in the answers to starred clues |
| 53% | SUNRISESUNSET | 13 | Classic Broadway show tune, or a hint to the word ladder revealed by the answers to the eight starred clues |
| 53% | GROUPCHAT | 9 | Conversation among friends ... or a hint to the animal collectives in the starred answers and the conversations that follow them |