| 100% | KNOCKOUTGAS | 11 | Incapacitating agent of pulp detective and sci-fi novels ... and a hint to solving this puzzle's starred clues |
| 45% | TIMEAFTERTIME | 13 | Repeatedly ... and a hint to the answers to this puzzle's starred clues |
| 45% | CHANGETHESUBJECT | 16 | Switch topics, and a hint to solving this puzzle's theme answers |
| 44% | THECASCADES | 11 | Range that's home to 18-Across, and a hint to solving this puzzle |
| 44% | DROPIT | 6 | "That'll be enough of that subject" ... and a hint to solving the answers to starred clues |
| 43% | CONDENSEDMILK | 13 | Ingredient of sweetened Thai tea, and a hint to solving some squares in this puzzle |
| 43% | ONTHEROAD | 9 | Kerouac novel, and a hint to the four starred women in this puzzle |
| 43% | PARTANIMAL | 10 | Like a centaur or faun ... or a hint to the answer to each of this puzzle's starred clues |
| 42% | PUSMOTTOB | 9 | *"Cheers!" ... or a hint to answering this puzzle's five starred clues |
| 42% | AIRLIFTS | 8 | Some special deliveries, and a hint to solving this puzzle |
| 42% | CIRCLESBACK | 11 | Brings up a prior topic … or a hint to making sense of the answers to this puzzle's starred clues |
| 42% | HOLDDOWNTHEFORT | 15 | Have charge temporarily ... or a hint to answering this puzzle's three starred clues |
| 42% | THETIMES | 8 | With 38- and 52-Across, 1964 Bob Dylan song ... or a hint to the answers to this puzzle's starred clues |
| 42% | TIPTOPSHAPE | 11 | Exceptional physical health, and a feature of the answer to each of this puzzle's starred clues |
| 41% | BACKTOSQUAREONE | 15 | Where you may go after reaching an impasse … or a hint for solving this puzzle's 12 starred clues |
| 41% | CRACKTHECASE | 12 | Solve a mystery, and a hint to the answers to the starred clues |
| 41% | PIGOUT | 6 | Ingurgitate, and a hint to making sense of the starred clues |
| 41% | TREERINGS | 9 | Indicators of age ... and a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 41% | LEGUP | 5 | Boost, and a hint to four of this puzzle's answers |
| 41% | INREVERSE | 9 | Backwards, and a hint to four of this puzzle's answers |
| 41% | DISAPPEARINGACT | 15 | Part of a magic show, and the key to understanding this puzzle's one-word clues |
| 41% | TUESDAY | 7 | Part of a calendar septet, and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 40% | INTHEDARK | 9 | Wild guess, and a hint to four of this puzzle's squares |
| 40% | WHATSTHEIRMO | 12 | "How do these people pull that off?" (and a hint to solving the starred clues) |
| 40% | ARGON | 5 | About 1% of Earth's atmosphere, and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's gimmick |
| 40% | IBEFOREE | 8 | Part of a spelling rule, and a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 40% | KITTENONTHEKEYS | 15 | Novelty piano piece of 1921 ... and a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 40% | INTHEHOLE | 9 | Warning before a detonation ... and a hint to 16 of this puzzle's answers |
| 40% | CENTERSTAGE | 11 | Limelight site, and a hint to the positions of this puzzle's circled names |
| 40% | FREEASSOCIATION | 15 | How to solve this puzzle's starred clues |