| 100% | MODEMS | 6 | Gizmos that worked at 56 kbit/s when I started cluing crosswords |
| 32% | IGOTORIO | 8 | Classic song that starts “When my baby / When my baby smiles at me” |
| 30% | THE | 3 | Word that's hard to avoid when writing crossword clues |
| 28% | IMAGINATIONIS | 13 | Start of an Einstein quote that holds true when solving clever crosswords |
| 26% | ILIAD | 5 | Work hinted at by the starts of 17-, 26-, 42- and 56-Across |
| 26% | NODOFF | 6 | At midnight when I'm still writing clues for the puzzle that absolutely has to be in Florida by 8:00 am, I have a tendency to do this |
| 25% | LUTE | 4 | Instrument that becomes a different instrument when an "f" is added at the start |
| 25% | WHY | 3 | Question I often ask myself when working on puzzles at three in the morning |
| 24% | ALIBI | 5 | "I couldn't have robbed that bank, because I was at a crossword tournament," e.g. |
| 24% | LOVE | 4 | Nat King Cole classic that starts "L is for the way you look at me" |
| 24% | OAR | 3 | Item that works best when it's half in the water |
| 24% | TSA | 3 | Group that works at airport checkpoints: Abbr. |
| 24% | TSA | 3 | Agency that works at airport checkpoints: Abbr. |
| 24% | ADRIAN | 6 | Familiar word that I drew a blank on when it came to thinking up a clue! |
| 24% | OCEAN | 5 | Body that appears at the start of the answers to the five starred clues |
| 24% | AENEID | 6 | Work that starts "I sing of arms and the man" |
| 24% | FATHERTIME | 10 | "___? That's when you're hanging out with me" |
| 24% | TSA | 3 | Group that works at airport screening stations: Abbr. |
| 24% | SLOTHS | 6 | Animals that work at the DMV in "Zootopia" |
| 24% | SLOTHS | 6 | Animals that work at the DMV in Zootopia |
| 24% | LOOK | 4 | "Hey ___ Ma, I Made It," pop anthem by Panic! At The Disco that starts with a greeting |
| 23% | CAPITALI | 8 | It's found at the start of this clue |
| 23% | SEESAWS | 7 | Vacillates ... or what you can do when you look at the starts of the answers to starred clues? |
| 23% | HERRING | 7 | Fish that's red when it yields a misleading clue |
| 23% | SUNDIAL | 7 | Timekeeping device that doesn't work when it's cloudy |
| 23% | ZERO | 4 | Number of incorrect entries I hope we'll receive for this crossword contest (this clue should help with that) |
| 23% | WATERPROOFMATCH | 15 | Fire starter that works when wet |
| 23% | IGOTORIO | 8 | Classic song that begins "When my baby / When my baby smiles at me" |
| 23% | DIDNTSCALEWELL | 14 | "When that fell through, I tried my hand at fishmongering, but we …" |
| 23% | HELICOPTERPARENTS | 17 | "___? That's me and your mom when we're in a chopper" |