| 100% | VICIOUSCYCLES | 13 | Hard patterns to break ... or a punny description of the climbs up the circled letters |
| 55% | LINKINGVERB | 11 | Word such as "be" ... or a punny description of the seven-letter word that can create new action words when its letters are inserted in the breaks of the circled action words |
| 49% | AHOUSEDIVIDED | 13 | Lincoln's description of pre-Civil War America … or a hint to the circled letters |
| 49% | JUSTHAVINGABALL | 15 | Living it up ... or a hint to the six groups of circled letters |
| 45% | RIGHTBETWEENTHE | 15 | With 67-Across, in a sudden and completely apparent way ... or a punny description of this puzzle's circled letters |
| 44% | HOMESTRETCH | 11 | Last leg of a race ... or a hint to the circled letters |
| 44% | CHANGEDONESMIND | 15 | Decided otherwise ... or a hint to the four sets of circled letters |
| 43% | SETSSTRAIGHT | 12 | Disabuses of false notions … or a hint to the circled letters |
| 43% | RSAILSPLITTER | 13 | Another nickname for Old Abe ... or a description of the circled letter? |
| 42% | POSTITNOTES | 11 | Sticky yellow squares ... or a description of the circled letters and what they follow? |
| 42% | BROADCOMEDIES | 13 | Zany movies, or a literal description of the contents of the spread-out circles |
| 42% | CARBOLOADED | 11 | Fueled up before a big race, or a description of the answers to the starred clues? |
| 41% | INNER | 5 | Private ... or a hint to the words spelled by the circled letters |
| 41% | THEOKCORRAL | 11 | See 28-Down ... or a punny description of this puzzle's circled answers? |
| 41% | BREAKABLES | 10 | Fragile articles ... or a hint to the things named by the circled letters |
| 41% | PARTYDOWN | 9 | Really revel ... or a hint to the words formed by the circled letters |
| 41% | HALFMEASURE | 11 | Paltry effort, or a literal description of the answer to each starred clue |
| 41% | FINALSWEEK | 10 | Period for taking exams ... or a hint to the pattern shown in the last three or four letters of the asterisked answers |
| 41% | IMONAROLL | 9 | "Things could not be going better for me!" ... or a hint to the placement of the circled letters |
| 41% | DOWN | 4 | With 40-Down, how rain falls ... or a literal description of the answers to the four themed clues |
| 41% | SPREADTHEWEALTH | 15 | Redistributionist's catchphrase ... or a hint to the words formed by the circled letters |
| 41% | TURNINGAPROPHET | 15 | Punny description of the circled letters in 17-, 27- and 48-Across |
| 41% | LUCKYBREAKS | 11 | Fortunate circumstances … or a punny hint to the shaded letters |
| 41% | TUESDAY | 7 | Calendar column ... or a punny hint to the circled squares |
| 41% | NONNEGATIVE | 11 | Zero or greater, or a description of the circled letters, which do not affect the meanings of the answers |
| 40% | NEWWORLDORDER | 13 | Shake-up in the global balance of power ... and a hint to the circled letters |
| 40% | MESSHALL | 8 | Army dining area, or a punny description of where to find 16-, 24-, 36-, and 49-Across |
| 40% | INONEEARAND | 11 | With 113-Across, heard but disregarded ... or a hint to interpreting the Across answers with circled letters |
| 39% | AMATTEROFTIME | 13 | Bound to happen sooner or later ... or a literal description of the ends of the answers to 20-, 28-, and 45-Across |
| 39% | LANDSLIDES | 10 | Earth movements, and a description of the circled letters |