| 100% | PIECE | 5 | Just as slangy term for the heater mentioned in 1931's "The Silver Eagle" by W. R. Burnett |
| 29% | ITEM | 4 | Slangy term for "couple," in the tabloids |
| 28% | LIT | 3 | Making a comeback is this "illuminated" slangy term for something exciting that was popular in the 1910's |
| 28% | SALTY | 5 | Making a comeback is this "sodium-rich" slangy term for an annoyed person that originated in the late 1930's |
| 26% | GROOVY | 6 | Making a comeback is this "rhythmic" slangy term for something attractive that was popular in the '60s |
| 25% | SWAG | 4 | Slang term for an expert's rough estimate, purportedly first used by US Army General William Westmoreland in the Vietnam War |
| 25% | SHIPSHAPE | 9 | In perfect order ... or, as two words, what's formed by applying the answers for the five starred clues to the circled letters |
| 25% | BEANS | 5 | Cool ___, making a comeback is this "chili" slangy term for approval that was popular in the '80s |
| 25% | FEAST | 5 | "A ___ for Crows," fourth novel in the epic fantasy series by George R. R. Martin |
| 24% | PREZ | 4 | Slangy term for the Oval Office executive |
| 24% | DRAG | 4 | Term in physics for the retarding force exerted by air or fluid surrounding a moving object |
| 24% | CLARENCE | 8 | Darrow referred to as the "Attorney for the Damned" in a 2011 book by John A. Farrell |
| 24% | PADDYS | 6 | ___ Pub, Irish bar owned by The Gang in "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" that serves as the setting for their shenanigans |
| 24% | ELEVATORKEY | 11 | Firefighter's term for the secret to rising in the ranks? |
| 24% | GAS | 3 | Laughing ___ (layman's term for the nitrous oxide used by dentists) |
| 24% | DANK | 4 | Making a comeback is this "wet and unpleasant" slangy term for something of high quality that originated in the '80s |
| 24% | ALTAR | 5 | Religious structure for sacrifices or offerings such as that mentioned in Exodus 30 in the Bible |
| 24% | SPRINKLERHEAD | 13 | Firefighter's term for the person in charge of ice cream toppers? |
| 24% | DECISIONFATIGUE | 15 | Modern term for the psychological exhaustion showcased in this puzzle's theme |
| 23% | TANNOY | 6 | Colloquial term for a public address system taken from the name of a firm set up by Guy Fountain in 1926 |
| 23% | REGINA | 6 | Latin term for Queen; the R on royal's signature |
| 23% | SODOR | 5 | Fictional island in the Irish Sea; setting for The Railway Series books by the Rev W Awdry |
| 23% | SCHNEIDER | 9 | & 16D Prize for a race between seaplanes and flying boats won outright by the UK in 1931 |
| 23% | ATOMSMASHER | 11 | Layman's term for the gizmo they used to confirm the existence of the Higgs Boson in 2012 |
| 23% | SOPRANINO | 9 | Term for a musical instrument such as a recorder or saxophone with the highest pitch of all those in its family |
| 23% | OSSICLES | 8 | Term for the hammer, anvil and stirrup in the ear |
| 23% | ALAR | 4 | Alternate name for the chemical Daminozide, used as a pesticide on fruit until banned by the EPA in 1989 |
| 23% | BLACK | 5 | "___ Parade," single by Beyonce which won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance in 2021 |
| 23% | SODA | 4 | Generic term for a carbonated beverage, in certain parts of the U.S. |
| 23% | POP | 3 | Generic term for a carbonated beverage, in certain parts of the U.S. |