| 100% | PARRED | 6 | Hit the norm, at Inverness |
| 55% | SKI | 3 | Hit the slopes at Vail |
| 54% | ARRIVE | 6 | Hit the tarmac, at LAX perhaps, |
| 54% | SKI | 3 | Hit the slopes at Squaw Valley |
| 54% | SLEEP | 5 | Hit the bed at night, say |
| 54% | SKI | 3 | Hit the slopes at Aspen, say |
| 53% | CRAMMED | 7 | Hit the books at the last minute |
| 53% | SKI | 3 | Hit the slopes at 3-Down, say |
| 51% | BEANED | 6 | Hit badly at the ballpark |
| 50% | INDENT | 6 | Hit the tab key at the beginning of a paragraph |
| 50% | RIOT | 4 | Hit at the Comedy Cellar, say |
| 49% | SAVOY | 5 | "Stompin' at the ___" (1934 hit) |
| 48% | DRESSSHOE | 9 | One hitting the floor at a fancy party? |
| 47% | NAIL | 4 | "Stoned at the ___ Salon" (Lorde hit single) |
| 46% | NAIL | 4 | "Stoned at the ___ Salon" (2021 Lorde hit single) |
| 45% | ILEFT | 5 | "___ My Heart at the Stage Door Canteen" (1942 hit) |
| 45% | PUNCHING | 8 | __ bag, for hitting at the gym or in boxing |
| 45% | WACO | 4 | "Cross the Brazos at ___" (1964 country hit) |
| 45% | WACO | 4 | Cross the Brazos at ___ (1964 country hit) |
| 45% | YMCA | 4 | Hit song literally hinted at by the answers to the starred clues |
| 45% | BAYWATCH | 8 | Hit series whose pilot was the TV movie "Panic at Malibu River" |
| 44% | LETEMIN | 7 | 1976 hit that begins "Someone's knockin' at the door" |
| 44% | ODELAY | 6 | Beck album with the alternative hit "Where It's At" |
| 44% | YMCA | 4 | "It's fun to stay at the ___" (1978 hit lyric) |
| 44% | ENTER | 5 | Something you usually hit at the end of every paragraph |
| 44% | ITCH | 4 | Stuttered syllable at the beginning of a big Bowie hit |
| 44% | UNDER | 5 | "Down ___" (1980s hit by the Australian band Men at Work) |
| 44% | YOKOONO | 7 | At 78, she became the oldest artist to have a #1 dance hit |
| 43% | DISCO | 5 | Panic! at the ___, former band with the hit song "High Hopes" |
| 43% | HOUSEOFCARDS | 12 | Hit Netflix show that hints at the theme hidden in the puzzle's borders |