| 100% | WORD | 4 | Kind of ladder exemplified by the answers to the seven starred clues |
| 60% | DEADENDS | 8 | Unfruitful paths ... or a description of both words in the answers to the seven starred clues? |
| 60% | RAINBOW | 7 | What the starts of the answers to the seven starred clues constitute |
| 59% | DOG | 3 | ___ days (time of summer suggested by the answers to the starred clues) |
| 59% | OTHELLO | 7 | Disc-flipping board game hinted at by a word ladder formed by the answers to the nine starred clues |
| 58% | SETIN | 5 | With 59-Down, permanent ... or, literally, a feature of the answers to the seven starred clues |
| 57% | HAVEASEAT | 9 | Encouragement to join the table, as exemplified by the answers to the starred clues? |
| 57% | SPACETRAVEL | 11 | Voyage by rocket … or a feature of the answers to the 12 starred clues? |
| 55% | FOODCHAIN | 9 | Apt description of the sequence suggested by the answers to starred clues? |
| 54% | WARANDPEACE | 11 | Classic novel of 1,000+ pages ... or a hint to the word ladder formed by the answers to the starred clues |
| 53% | ZAMBONI | 7 | Machine waiting to enter the middle of this grid, as suggested by the answers to the starred clues |
| 53% | FIVEWS | 6 | Journalism's traditional set of questions, obliquely addressed by the answers to starred clues |
| 53% | MENSA | 5 | Group described by the starts of the answers to starred clues |
| 53% | CAPITALOFFENSES | 15 | Pun-crimes committed by the answers to the six starred clues? |
| 53% | BEACHGOER | 9 | One packing up the answers to the seven starred clues, maybe |
| 52% | MIDTERM | 7 | Kind of exam, with a hint to the answers to the four starred clues |
| 52% | FLIPFLOPS | 9 | Questionable political moves suggested by the answers to the nine starred clues |
| 52% | IRISHCOUNTIES | 13 | What the answers to the seven starred clues all are or contain |
| 52% | ABC | 3 | Kind of order for the answers to the starred clues |
| 52% | SAILS | 5 | Travels over what's hidden in the answers to the seven starred clues |
| 52% | KEEPINTOUCH | 11 | Parting words suggested by all or part of the answers to starred clues |
| 52% | COLERIDGE | 9 | Coiner of the answers to the nine starred clues |
| 52% | ALOHASTATE | 10 | With "The," one of 50 since 8/21/1959, as hinted at by the answers to starred clues |
| 51% | GOAT | 4 | Superlative acronym spelled out by the starts of the answers to the starred clues |
| 51% | PLANETS | 7 | Etymological origins of the answers to the five starred clues |
| 51% | YOLO | 4 | "Carpe diem" acronym spelled out by the starts of the answers to the starred clues |
| 51% | GREEN | 5 | Like the starts of the answers to the six starred clues |
| 51% | DONMCLEAN | 9 | Singer of the lyric formed by the ends of the answers to the four starred clues |
| 51% | LOSEWEIGHT | 10 | Common New Year's resolution -- as hinted at by the answers to the four starred clues |
| 51% | SPLITPEA | 8 | Kind of soup ... or a hint to the answers to the five starred clues |