| 100% | PENALTY | 7 | Fine for wrongdoing; anagram of aplenty |
| 44% | ELEPHANT | 8 | Anagram of "the plane"; another word for pachyderm |
| 44% | CHEATER | 7 | Anagram of teacher, a rare word for a fraudster |
| 44% | OPT | 3 | Anagram of "top" for a word that means "decide" |
| 43% | STRAD | 5 | Finest of fiddles, for short |
| 42% | ECO | 3 | Anagram of CEO which is the prefix for pro-Earth initiatives |
| 42% | HINT | 4 | "This answer is an anagram of THIN," for example |
| 41% | YEARNED | 7 | Longed for; anagram of end year |
| 41% | MFA | 3 | Abbreviation for master of fine arts |
| 41% | COARSE | 6 | Opposite of fine, for sandpaper |
| 40% | ARAB | 4 | Fine breed of steed that's built for speed |
| 40% | SIEVES | 6 | Fine meshes used for getting lumps out of flour |
| 40% | GEMCUTTER | 9 | Crafter of precious stones for fine jewelry |
| 39% | OTT | 3 | Anagram for "tot" (last name of a famous baseball player) |
| 39% | KISSER | 6 | Slang for mouth; anagram of skiers |
| 39% | ANTIDOTES | 9 | Cures for poisons, anagram of stationed |
| 39% | ACT | 3 | Anagram of the animal in 23a which is what Ryan Reynolds does for a living |
| 39% | FETA | 4 | Type of cheese which is an anagram for 'feat' |
| 37% | TULLE | 5 | Fine net fabric of silk or rayon used as a trimming for hats |
| 36% | SPANDEX | 7 | Athletic wear named for an anagram of what it does |
| 36% | EGYPTIAN | 8 | Like fine cotton bedsheets; anagram of tiny gape |
| 36% | FORFEIT | 7 | A fine or penalty for wrongdoing |
| 36% | COP | 3 | Member of New York's Finest, for example |
| 35% | BLAMED | 6 | Accused someone for an act of wrongdoing |
| 35% | END | 3 | Apt anagram for the opening of denouement |
| 35% | ECT | 3 | Prefix for "outside" (anagram of "cet") |
| 35% | ESTO | 4 | Spanish for "this" (anagram of "toes") |
| 35% | ORO | 3 | Spanish for "gold" (anagram of "roo") |
| 35% | AME | 3 | French for "soul" (anagram of "mae") |
| 35% | AME | 3 | French for "soul" (anagram of "mea") |