| 100% | PESSIMISM | 9 | Gloomy worldview exemplified by Squidward Tentacles |
| 29% | DACTYLS | 7 | Metrical feet exemplified by "metrical" |
| 29% | VALOR | 5 | Quality exemplified by legendary heroes |
| 29% | PINKYPROMISE | 12 | Agreement exemplified by 88-Across |
| 28% | GOLDENOPPORTUNITY | 17 | Special moment exemplified by 24-Across |
| 28% | BUDDYCOP | 8 | Kind of film exemplified by "Lethal Weapon" |
| 28% | GRAVYBOATS | 10 | Thanksgiving table sights exemplified by 68-Across |
| 28% | BROWNIEMIX | 10 | Baking aisle purchase exemplified by 56-Across |
| 28% | REDEYEFLIGHT | 12 | Air travel option exemplified by 34-Across |
| 28% | TRIMMINGTHETREE | 15 | Yuletide undertaking, exemplified by the circled letters |
| 27% | EUROPOP | 7 | Catchy, international style of music, exemplified by ABBA |
| 26% | OCTOPUS | 7 | Animal Squidward Tentacles is in the series "SpongeBob SquarePants" |
| 26% | ATHLEISURE | 10 | Fashion portmanteau exemplified by wearing yoga pants all day |
| 26% | INTERNALORGANS | 14 | Essential structures exemplified by this puzzle's circled words |
| 26% | RONDEAU | 7 | Traditional French poetic form exemplified by “In Flanders Fields” |
| 26% | RHYMING | 7 | It's not exemplified by this puzzle's long answers |
| 26% | DOUBLENEGATIVES | 15 | Grammatical taboos exemplified by 17-, 23-, 48- and 60-Across |
| 26% | TWISTTHEKNIFE | 13 | Increase someone's distress, as exemplified by the circled letters |
| 26% | MOVINONUP | 9 | "The Jeffersons" theme song, exemplified by this puzzle's improvements |
| 24% | WORD | 4 | Kind of ladder exemplified by the answers to the seven starred clues |
| 23% | RODGERBUMPASS | 13 | Voice artist who has given voice to Squidward Tentacles in "SpongeBob SquarePants": 2 wds. |
| 23% | ZEUGMA | 6 | Figure of speech exemplified by "You held your breath and the door for me" |
| 23% | FACEPALM | 8 | Gesture of exasperation exemplified by an image of Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard |
| 23% | HAVEASEAT | 9 | Encouragement to join the table, as exemplified by the answers to the starred clues? |
| 22% | HASITBOTHWAYS | 13 | Comes out ahead in either case ... as exemplified by 19-, 29-, 36- and 44-Across? |
| 21% | ENEMIESTOLOVERS | 15 | Romance trope exemplified by Kat and Patrick’s relationship in “10 Things I Hate About You” |
| 19% | DANCING | 7 | Activity exemplified in the '60s by the ends of 17-, 28-, 48- and 64-Across |
| 18% | EVIDENCED | 9 | Exemplified |
| 18% | ARMS | 4 | Tentacles |
| 18% | FEELERS | 7 | Tentacles |