| 100% | ARSON | 5 | In criminal law, the act of intentionally setting fire to property for some improper reason |
| 74% | ARSON | 5 | The crime of intentionally setting fire to property for some improper reason |
| 31% | ROMANTELESCOPE | 14 | NASA project set to launch in 2027, named for the former chief of astronomy |
| 31% | ARSON | 5 | Set fire to the property to claim insurance |
| 30% | ARSON | 5 | Crime of setting fire to property |
| 30% | ELON | 4 | Musk who set a record for the largest loss of personal fortune in history, according to Guinness |
| 29% | CATS | 4 | 2019 flop whose Variety review began "Nine may not be enough lives for some of the stars to live down their involvement in this …" |
| 29% | WRATH | 5 | "The Grapes of ___," novel by John Steinbeck, set in the Great Depression, that was a major reason for him winning the Nobel Prize |
| 28% | APPROPRIATION | 13 | Act of taking a property without having the right to do so |
| 28% | SITTER | 6 | Necessity for some, in order to go to the movies |
| 28% | PAST | 4 | Setting for much of "Back to the Future" |
| 28% | RAIN | 4 | "Set Fire to the ___," hit song by Adele that won the Grammy in 2013 for its live rendition at the Royal Albert Hall |
| 28% | AGE | 3 | Figure that rapidly increases for some of the characters in Old |
| 27% | OFFICIATE | 9 | To act as the person in charge of sporting events |
| 27% | OMEN | 4 | The appearance of a butterfly in a home, for some |
| 27% | IMMORAL | 7 | What some consider you to be for not adhering to the laws of the Torah or Quran |
| 27% | MIDDLEAGE | 9 | Crisis time, for some ... or a hint to each of the circled words |
| 27% | UFO | 3 | Reason for a flood of calls to the police dept., maybe |
| 27% | COEDS | 5 | Some University of Virginia undergrads in 1969, for the first time |
| 27% | HAMMURABI | 9 | Babylonian King, said to be the first set of laws |
| 26% | JELLO | 5 | Kind of party shot that needs to set in the fridge |
| 26% | COMICBOOK | 9 | Setting for each of the places in 15-, 21-, and 41-Across: 2 wds. |
| 26% | RYES | 4 | Some loaves of bread … or a homophone for what they do in the oven |
| 26% | ALARM | 5 | Reason to get out of bed in the morning (if it’s across the room) |
| 26% | ARLEN | 5 | Fictional town in Texas that is the setting for "King of the Hill" |
| 26% | WRAPSUP | 7 | Finishes, and a hint to the sets of circled letters in this puzzle |
| 26% | NSYNC | 5 | Loser to U2 for Grammy Record of the Year in 2001 |
| 26% | OCEAN | 5 | Setting for some of "The Little Mermaid" |
| 26% | POACHING | 8 | The act of cooking in simmering liquid |
| 25% | SUN | 3 | Great ball of fire in the sky, also central to this grid's theme |