| 100% | ICH | 3 | German pronoun that can be found at the end of "which" or "ostrich" |
| 63% | ACH | 3 | German cry that can be found at the start of "achoo" |
| 61% | AGE | 3 | *Birthday candle count...or a word that can be found at the end of 16a, 18a, 21a, 31a, 43a, 35d, and 40d |
| 60% | BACKBURNER | 10 | Place for a nonurgent issue, and what can be found at the end of 16-, 24-, 37-, or 53- Across? |
| 57% | THOR | 4 | Chris Hemsworth role that can be found scrambled at the end of Hemsworth |
| 54% | CHER | 4 | Singer/actress whose name can be found at the ends of 17-, 31-, and 43-Across |
| 54% | MARTIANMISSIONS | 15 | NASA endeavors whose vehicles can be found at the ends of 17-, 22-, 51- and 57-Across |
| 54% | BALLPARKFIGURES | 15 | Rough estimates, and what can be found at the ends of 17-, 25-, 52-, and 62-Across |
| 53% | DOGTAGS | 7 | Military IDs on chains, and what can be found at the ends of the answers to the starred clues? |
| 52% | PUR | 3 | Water filter brand that can be found at the beginning of "purple" |
| 51% | GOLFBALL | 8 | Sports item that can be found at the starts of 17-, 21-, 32-, 42- and 54-Across |
| 49% | SIMPLEMACHINE | 13 | Force-multiplying device that can be found at the beginning of 18-, 33-, and 39-Across |
| 49% | EYEOPENER | 9 | Revelation, or what can be found at the starts of the starred answers |
| 48% | TEASE | 5 | Verb for which synonyms can be found at the beginnings of the starred answers |
| 48% | PIN | 3 | One may be found at the end of an alley |
| 48% | KEYS | 4 | PC things, which can be found at the starts of 14-, 22-, 37-, 46- and 61-Across |
| 47% | SIDESALAD | 9 | Dish that may accompany a main course, and what can be found at the start of 17-, 25-, 38-, or 53-Across? |
| 47% | FAILURETOLAUNCH | 15 | Rocket mishap, or what can be found at the start of the answer to each starred clue |
| 46% | ARF | 3 | Comic strip bark that you can find at the end of "scarf" |
| 46% | EEP | 3 | Letters found at the end of "beep" or "bleep" |
| 46% | IRELAND | 7 | Cork can be found at the bottom of it |
| 46% | HIGHDEFINITION | 14 | Like most televisions, and what can be found at the start of 20-, 36-, or 46-Across |
| 46% | PRETZEL | 7 | Salty snack whose varieties are found at the ends of 18-, 24-, 52- and 61-Across |
| 45% | BLUEJEANS | 9 | Casual pants (brands of which can be found at the starts of 16-Across, 27-Across, and 35-Across) (2 wds.) |
| 45% | ZENERCARDS | 10 | Tools for ESP researchers (whose symbols are found at the ends of the answers to the five asterisked clues) |
| 44% | USATODAYSECTION | 15 | One can be found at the starts of 17-, 29- and 45-Across |
| 43% | CTRL | 4 | Key that's often found at the ends of a keyboard's bottom row |
| 43% | POTOFGOLD | 9 | What is said to be found at the end of a rainbow |
| 43% | TAB | 3 | Diet cola that's being discontinued at the end of this month |
| 43% | BOOK | 4 | What you find in a library, or a word which can be used at the start of 20a, 25a, 35a, 48a, 55a, 31d, and 45d |