| 100% | STEEPENED | 9 | Increased in price, or made a higher grade |
| 57% | RISE | 4 | Increase in value or to a higher point; "Early to bed, Early to ___" |
| 46% | MAR | 3 | Make a scratch or dent in |
| 46% | MAR | 3 | Make a ding or dent in |
| 46% | MAR | 3 | Make a dent or scratch in |
| 46% | TIE | 3 | Make a knot or bow in |
| 46% | MAR | 3 | Make a small crack or tear in |
| 46% | MAR | 3 | Make a scratch, ding, or dent in |
| 46% | INFLATION | 9 | A gradual increase in prices |
| 45% | SWEARING | 8 | Making a solemn vow or promise in court |
| 45% | DRIVINGUP | 9 | Making higher, like a price |
| 44% | APE | 3 | Mock or make fun of, in a way |
| 43% | PECANS | 6 | Nuts that make a pie or go in granola |
| 43% | RETIED | 6 | Made looser or tighter, in a way |
| 43% | ACES | 4 | Highest or lowest cards in a deck |
| 43% | ACE | 3 | High or low card in a deck |
| 43% | ACE | 3 | Highest or lowest card in a deck |
| 43% | OCTANE | 6 | Grade in the high 80s or low 90s? |
| 43% | EDIT | 4 | Make cuts in a film or news story |
| 43% | EDIT | 4 | Make cuts in a movie or news story |
| 42% | MARKCUBAN | 9 | An increase in ham prices forced the deli to ___ sandwiches higher |
| 42% | PASS | 4 | Get a grade of D or higher |
| 42% | PASS | 4 | Earn a grade of D or higher |
| 42% | BREAKINGTHEBANK | 15 | Making a killing in Vegas ... or what happens in 17-, 28- and 47-Across |
| 41% | OTTAVA | 6 | In music, a full interval higher or lower than written |
| 41% | STEP | 4 | Rank or grade in a series or scale |
| 41% | TENTH | 5 | Grade that a high school sophomore is in |
| 41% | TOPMOST | 7 | Highest in status or position, like a CEO |
| 41% | SCORES | 6 | Numbers or points in a game made by teams |