| 100% | RUBRIC | 6 | Heading or initial letter in a manuscript printed or painted in red ink |
| 36% | WENT | 4 | Painted the town red, in a way ... or successfully completed this puzzle? |
| 34% | DROPCAP | 7 | Large letter in a manuscript |
| 33% | ART | 3 | It belongs in a museum (poetry or painting) |
| 33% | EXIT | 4 | Red letters in a dark theater |
| 33% | LOSS | 4 | Amount printed in red ink |
| 32% | CARTRIDGE | 9 | Ink container in a fountain pen or printer |
| 30% | IGA | 3 | Market initials in a red oval |
| 30% | DEPICT | 6 | Represent in a drawing or painting |
| 30% | PRINCIPAL | 9 | The head of a school or amount advanced in a loan |
| 30% | ESSO | 4 | Classic roadside logo name with red lettering in a blue oval |
| 30% | APE | 3 | Caesar, Red, or Cornelius, in a 2017 summer movie |
| 30% | DEPICTS | 7 | Represents, as in a story or painting |
| 30% | CLAM | 4 | Mollusk in a red or white chowder |
| 30% | CLAM | 4 | Mollusk in a red or white linguine sauce |
| 29% | PICASSO | 7 | Artist who painted Woman in a Red Armchair in 1929 |
| 29% | MAJUSCULE | 9 | In print, French term for a large letter |
| 28% | LOSTART | 7 | Letter writing, they say ... or a hint to eight answers in this puzzle |
| 28% | PORTRAIT | 8 | Head and shoulders painting or drawing of a person |
| 28% | TAKE | 4 | With 6-Across, go in a board game ... or what the circled letters do |
| 28% | CORD | 4 | Telephone wire, or change a letter in 14a to get the answer |
| 28% | MUM | 3 | Close-mouthed, or change a letter in 27d to get the answer |
| 28% | MAD | 3 | Extremely upset, or change a letter in 6d to get the answer |
| 28% | SWITCHBLADE | 11 | Street weapon ... or a hint to the circled letters in this puzzle |
| 28% | LAMPBLACK | 9 | Soot used as a pigment in paints, inks |
| 28% | HERRINGTONE | 11 | A silvery color (or red, in a whodunit)? |
| 28% | ACCENT | 6 | Mark on a letter such as a grave, circumflex or acute in the French language |
| 28% | ROLLTHEDICE | 11 | Take a chance ... or a hint to the letters in the shaded squares |
| 28% | MUD | 3 | Kind of pie, or change a letter in 18d to get the answer |
| 28% | WARM | 4 | Like some welcomes, or change a letter in 39a to get the answer |