| 100% | SIX | 3 | Half of a dozen or the next number in a New Year's countdown |
| 86% | FIVE | 4 | Half of a decade or the next number in a New Year's countdown (go to 34d to find out what you can do next year) |
| 68% | THREE | 5 | Trio number or the next number in a New Year's countdown (go to 37d to find out what you can do next year) |
| 68% | TWO | 3 | Pair count or the next number in a New Year's countdown (go to 45d to find out what you can do next year) |
| 68% | FOUR | 4 | Beatles count or the next number in a New Year's countdown (go to 35d to find out what you can do next year) |
| 68% | EIGHT | 5 | Number that sounds like "ate" or the next number in a New Year's countdown (go to 7d to find out what you can do next year) |
| 68% | SEVEN | 5 | Oft lucky number or the next number in a New Year's countdown (go to 18d to find out what you can do next year) |
| 68% | NINE | 4 | Cat lives count or the next number in a New Year's countdown (go to 3d to find out what you can do next year) |
| 49% | ONE | 3 | (5/5) End of a New Year's countdown...or the number that follows 31 on the calendar |
| 47% | THREE | 5 | (3/5) Part of a New Year's countdown... or a trio's number |
| 46% | FLIGHT | 6 | "The ___ of the Phoenix," 1965 film starring James Stewart ... or part of a New Year's wish highlighted in this puzzle |
| 46% | ONE | 3 | Last number shouted in a New Year's Eve countdown |
| 46% | CHEERS | 6 | Rallying words from fans in the stands, or a cry to mark the New Year's tradition of raising glasses |
| 44% | RING | 4 | Boxer's arena, or a New Year's tradition that announces the beginning of the New Year (with "in") |
| 44% | MAY | 3 | "To Whom It ___ Concern," 2016 film starring Wilmer Valderrama ... or the start of a New Year's wish highlighted in this puzzle |
| 44% | TWO | 3 | (4/5) Part of a New Year's Countdown...or a duo's number |
| 42% | FIVE | 4 | (1/5) Start of a New Year's Eve countdown...or the result of 100 divided by 20 |
| 42% | ODD | 3 | Like the number of years in a periodical cicada’s life cycle |
| 41% | WINTERARC | 9 | Season-long alternative to a New Year's resolution, or what the letters in the shaded squares represent? |
| 41% | FIFTY | 5 | Number of years in a half-century |
| 41% | SIXTEEN | 7 | Next number in a series suggested by the starts of 17-, 27-, 46- and 60-Across |
| 40% | PAGE | 4 | "Tomorrow is the first ___ in a book of 365" (common New Year's phrase) |
| 40% | DREAMS | 6 | "Field of ___," 1989 film starring Kevin Costner ... or part of a New Year's wish highlighted in this puzzle |
| 40% | THIS | 4 | "___ Means War," 2012 film starring Chris Pine ... or part of a New Year's wish highlighted in this puzzle |
| 40% | YOUR | 4 | "How to Train ___ Dragon," 2010 animated film ... or part of a New Year's wish highlighted in this puzzle |
| 40% | TAKE | 4 | "Every Breath You ___," 2021 film starring Casey Affleck ... or part of a New Year's wish highlighted in this puzzle |
| 39% | COUNTDOWN | 9 | Crucial last moments in a game, or a popular New Year's tradition that involves shouting numbers backwards |
| 37% | SIX | 3 | Number of years in a US senator's term |
| 37% | FOUR | 4 | (2/5) Part of a New Year's Eve countdown...or 2+2 result |
| 37% | ODD | 3 | Like the number of cards in a full house or three of a kind |