| 100% | PARESDOWN | 9 | Gradually trims … or a phonetic second hint to solving this puzzle's theme |
| 58% | HOLYCOW | 7 | "Wow!" ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 57% | BEQUIET | 7 | "Shut up!" ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 56% | H2O | 3 | Fire fighter, familiarly … or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 53% | CHANGETHESUBJECT | 16 | Switch topics, and a hint to solving this puzzle's theme answers |
| 53% | MEETINTHEMIDDLE | 15 | Compromise ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's shaded squares |
| 52% | SEACREATURE | 11 | Aquatic denizen … or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's circled words |
| 52% | THIRDEYEBLIND | 13 | Band with the 1997 hit "Semi-Charmed Life" … or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 52% | NOUSE | 5 | Pointless, or a phonetic hint to five of this puzzle's long answers |
| 48% | TEALEAVES | 9 | Divination aids … or a phonetic hint to the shaded squares in this puzzle |
| 48% | MERGELEFT | 9 | What you might have to do for some highway construction … or a first hint to solving this puzzle's theme |
| 48% | EASYONTHEEYES | 13 | Good-looking ... or a phonetic hint to a feature found five times in this puzzle |
| 47% | AGELESS | 7 | Eternal, and a hint to this puzzle's phonetic theme |
| 47% | ONAMARCH | 8 | Parading ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | ADDICT | 6 | Fiend … or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | APART | 5 | Separate ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | CATCHINGSOMEZZ | 14 | Asleep ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | ELONGATE | 8 | Stretch ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme? |
| 47% | SIDESPLITTING | 13 | Hilarious ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | TRIO | 4 | Threesome ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | SIDENOTES | 9 | Marginalia … or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | EMPTYBOXES | 10 | Moving aids, or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | PUTONESFINGERON | 15 | Identify exactly ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | SHRUNKENHEADS | 13 | Primitive trophies ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | PEDXING | 7 | Street sign ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | ANDANOTHERTHING | 15 | Rant continuation ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | KEEPITTOGETHER | 14 | Stay cool ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | TWOBYFOURS | 10 | Construction staples ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | SWITCHJOBS | 10 | Change careers, or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 47% | Y2K | 3 | Big scare of a couple of decades ago ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |