| 100% | STUDPOKER | 9 | Game that gave rise to the expression "ace in the hole" |
| 49% | BIGDIG | 6 | Construction project that gave rise to the Ted Williams Tunnel |
| 48% | BLUESHELL | 9 | Colorful item in some 45-Across games that gives players a chance to catch the racer in first place (2 wds.) |
| 46% | PROULX | 6 | Annie —, author of novels Postcards and That Old Ace in the Hole |
| 44% | AREA | 4 | ___ 51, highly classified US facility that has given rise to many urban myths in Nevada |
| 44% | JAPANESE | 8 | Language that gave us the words heard phonetically in the answers to the starred clues |
| 43% | DNIEPER | 7 | River rising in Russia near Smolensk that flows south to the Black Sea |
| 43% | UCLA | 4 | Sch. that plays home games in the Rose Bowl |
| 42% | PHOENIX | 7 | Bird that ignites in flames to rise from the ashes |
| 42% | BREAKITUPYOUTWO | 15 | Command that could be given to the title characters in 17-, 26- and 45-Across? |
| 42% | TRRUMPCARD | 10 | Ace in the hole |
| 42% | PERFORATION | 11 | Ace in the hole? |
| 42% | DRIN | 4 | River rising in Macedonia that flows through Albania to the Adriatic |
| 42% | SAVA | 4 | River rising in Slovenia that flows to the Danube at Belgrade |
| 42% | SIRET | 5 | River rising in Ukraine that flows through Romania to the Danube |
| 42% | HOLE | 4 | Ace in the ___, term originating through card games that means an effective or decisive argument held in reserve |
| 41% | SAN | 3 | River rising in Ukraine that flows across SE Poland to the Vistula |
| 41% | SAN | 3 | River rising in Ukraine that flows across southeast Poland to the Vistula |
| 41% | CUBE | 4 | "Ice" follower to give a drink cooler that sets in the freezer |
| 41% | LENA | 4 | River in Russia that rises in Siberia before flowing to the Laptev Sea |
| 40% | SAAR | 4 | River rising in the Vosges Mountains that flows north to the Moselle in Germany |
| 40% | DON | 3 | River that rises in the Cairngorm Mountains before flowing east to the North Sea |
| 40% | SAINTMAURICE | 12 | River rising in Quebec, Canada, that flows to the St Lawrence at Trois-Rivieres |
| 40% | INDUS | 5 | River rising in SW Tibet that flows southwest across Pakistan to the Arabian Sea |
| 40% | SAAR | 4 | River rising in the Vosges Mountains that flows north to the Moselle River in Germany |
| 40% | GODAVARI | 8 | River rising in Maharashtra, India sacred to Hindus that flows to the Bay of Bengal |
| 40% | OZONELAYER | 10 | Shielding region in the stratosphere, that has a hole thanks to human activities: 2 wds. |
| 40% | INDUS | 5 | River rising in SW Tibet that flows south-west across Pakistan to the Arabian Sea |
| 40% | ESSOS | 5 | Landmass east of Westeros that is home to the Dothraki tribe in "Game of Thrones" |
| 40% | SKA | 3 | Jamaican music that gave rise to reggae |