| 100% | EARTO | 5 | Have an __ the ground (be alert) |
| 78% | EARTO | 5 | Keep an ___ the ground (be alert) |
| 75% | EARTO | 5 | Have an ___ the ground |
| 71% | EARTO | 5 | Keep an ___ the ground (be alert to what's new): 2 wds. |
| 70% | EAR | 3 | Has an __ to the ground |
| 61% | UPPERHAND | 9 | To have the __, be in an advantageous position |
| 58% | OCTAD | 5 | The planets, now that Pluto has been downgraded to an ice-covered dwarf planet |
| 57% | EUBOEA | 6 | Greek island believed to have been separated from the mainland by an earthquake |
| 56% | AXTO | 4 | Have an ___ grind |
| 56% | AXETO | 5 | Have an ___ grind |
| 55% | UPPER | 5 | Have the __ hand (be at an advantage) |
| 55% | AXE | 3 | Have an ___ to grind |
| 55% | AXE | 3 | Have an ____ to grind |
| 54% | ROFL | 4 | Chuckling so hard the ground is involved |
| 54% | GARY | 4 | ___ Player, three-time Masters winner who has been an Honorary Starter for the same since 2012 |
| 53% | OEUF | 4 | "Why do the French have only one egg for breakfast? Because one egg is an ___" (old joke) |
| 53% | AXE | 3 | Have an ___ to grind (have grievances) |
| 53% | AXE | 3 | Have an ___ to grind (personal motive) |
| 53% | ARM | 3 | Has an elbow in the middle |
| 53% | CARES | 5 | Has an interest in the outcome |
| 52% | PROSANDCONS | 11 | Both sides of an argument, and what have been switched to create the answers to the starred clues |
| 52% | FRIENDSGIVING | 13 | Holiday gathering of one's chosen family ... or an explanation of how the themed answers have been transformed |
| 52% | MOVETHENEEDLE | 13 | Have an impact that can be gauged |
| 52% | AXE | 3 | Have an ___ to grind (need to complain) |
| 52% | SHOOTPAR | 8 | Have an average day on the links? |
| 52% | LETLOOSE | 8 | Have an “Oh, what the hell” moment |
| 52% | IDLE | 4 | Having an off-day on the schedule |
| 52% | TESTATE | 7 | Having the will? |
| 51% | LAND | 4 | Touch the ground, as an aircraft |
| 50% | PATROLBOAT | 10 | Titular vessel of an old Australian TV series whose theme song has been performed by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (HIT) |