| 100% | ATOLL | 5 | Island ring ... or, in three parts, a hint to 18-, 32-, 44- and 59-Across |
| 51% | DOTDOTDOT | 9 | Indication of more to come … or a hint to a feature of three consecutive letters in 18-, 20-, 59- and 61-Across |
| 51% | SWISS | 5 | Deli cheese ... or, in three parts, a hint to the five longest across puzzle answers |
| 50% | BESIDES | 7 | Also ... and, in three parts, a hint to the four longest Across answers |
| 50% | CANDY | 5 | Sweets ... and, in three parts, a hint to the four longest Across answers |
| 50% | PREMEDITATED | 12 | Calculated ... or a punny hint to 18-, 24-, 32- and 44-Across |
| 49% | AUPAIRS | 7 | Live-in workers ... or a hint to 14, 18, 32, and 51 Across |
| 48% | ARTOO | 5 | ___-Detoo ... or, when read in three parts, a hint to 17-, 31-, 47- and 63-Across |
| 46% | GOFISH | 6 | Popular kids' game ... or a hint to 18-, 32-, 37- and 58-Across |
| 45% | DINERSCLUB | 10 | Credit card industry pioneer … or a hint to 18-, 32- and 42-Across |
| 44% | BUTTERCHURN | 11 | Dairy implement, and a hint to what's hidden in 16-, 23-, 32-, and 44-Across |
| 44% | WHEREWITHAL | 11 | Money ... and, in three parts, a hint to the answers to starred clues |
| 43% | PRESTOCHANGEO | 13 | Magician's phrase ... or a hint to part of 18-, 25-, 34- and 41-Across |
| 42% | NOEL | 4 | Seasonal song ... or a phonetic hint to 18-, 23-, 37-, 52- and 59-Across |
| 42% | HEADSTARTS | 10 | Advantages, or a hint to 18-, 27- and 47-Across |
| 42% | STOP | 4 | "Knock it off!" (or, parsed in three parts, a hint to the theme answers) |
| 41% | NOD | 3 | Silent assent ... or, in two parts, a hint to three long answers |
| 41% | ROADMOVIES | 10 | "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Thelma & Louise" ... or a hint to 18-, 26- and 44-Across |
| 41% | SORRYNORETURNS | 14 | Sign in some clothing stores ... or a hint to 19-, 25- and 44-Across |
| 41% | ONOFFSWITCH | 11 | Toggle ... or a hint to 18-, 29- and 45-Across? |
| 41% | THEBIGAPPLE | 11 | Empire State Building locale ... or a hint to three letters in 16-, 19-, 52- and 57-Across |
| 41% | YES | 3 | "That's correct" ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 28-, 45- and 59-Across, in different languages |
| 40% | SODAMIXER | 9 | Ingredient in some cocktails ... or a hint to the last words in 17-, 23-, 32-, 43- and 48-Across |
| 40% | DIDYOUCATCHTHAT | 15 | "Someone say something?" or a hint to the ends of 18-, 20-, 54- and 59-Across |
| 40% | BREAKFAST | 9 | Part of a morning routine ... or a literal hint to 18-, 22-, 35- and 49-Across |
| 40% | SPOUT | 5 | Teapot part ... or a two-word hint to 16-, 25-, 43- and 59-Across |
| 40% | WHEREITSAT | 10 | Happening place ... or a hint to 18-, 23-, 39- and 51-Across? |
| 40% | ROCKYSTART | 10 | Bumpy beginning ... or a hint to 18-, 24-, 36- and 52-Across |
| 39% | ISEE | 4 | "Aha!" ... or a hint to 18-, 23-, 37-, 48- and 58-Across |
| 39% | WORD | 4 | Scrabble play, or, when parsed in three parts, a hint to the switch featured in this puzzle's longest answers |