| 100% | HOMESTRETCH | 11 | Last leg of a race ... or a hint to the circled letters |
| 73% | SETSSTRAIGHT | 12 | Disabuses of false notions … or a hint to the circled letters |
| 70% | AHOUSEDIVIDED | 13 | Lincoln's description of pre-Civil War America … or a hint to the circled letters |
| 69% | CHANGEDONESMIND | 15 | Decided otherwise ... or a hint to the four sets of circled letters |
| 67% | JUSTHAVINGABALL | 15 | Living it up ... or a hint to the six groups of circled letters |
| 65% | GOFIRST | 7 | Lead off ... or a hint to the circled letters |
| 65% | WRAPPINGPAPER | 13 | Holiday purchase ... or a hint to the circled letters |
| 65% | HOPPINGMAD | 10 | Really miffed … or a hint to the circled letters |
| 65% | IMONAROLL | 9 | "Things could not be going better for me!" ... or a hint to the placement of the circled letters |
| 65% | MIXTAPE | 7 | Homemade music compilation ... or a hint to the circled letters |
| 65% | CLIMATECHANGE | 13 | Environmentalist's concern ... or a hint to the circled letters |
| 64% | FRIENDSTOTHEEND | 15 | True buds, and a hint to the last three or four letters of each starred answer |
| 64% | MANSPREADS | 10 | Crowds one's seatmates, in a way ... or a hint to the circled letters |
| 64% | PLANETARY | 9 | With 36-Down, astronomical rarity ... or a hint to the circled letters |
| 64% | SLICED | 6 | With 57-Across, deli offering ... or a hint to the circled letters |
| 64% | SWITCHBLADE | 11 | Street weapon ... or a hint to the circled letters in this puzzle |
| 63% | COVERTOPERATION | 15 | Secret military mission ... or a hint to the circled letters in this puzzle? |
| 63% | FINALSWEEK | 10 | Period for taking exams ... or a hint to the pattern shown in the last three or four letters of the asterisked answers |
| 63% | OUTSIDESHOT | 11 | Low probability of success, and a hint to the circled letters |
| 63% | FATHERCHRISTMAS | 15 | Britain's equivalent of Santa, and a hint to the circled letters |
| 62% | BREAKSCHARACTER | 15 | Can't hold back laughter while performing, say ... or a hint to the circled letters |
| 62% | COLTRANECHANGES | 15 | Harmonic progression heard on albums like "Giant Steps"... or a hint to the circled letters |
| 62% | UPLOADS | 7 | Puts on a server, say ... or a hint to the circled letters in this puzzle |
| 62% | BACKUPTHETRUCK | 14 | "Wait, what did you just say?," or a hint to the circled letters in this puzzle |
| 62% | OFFTOAFASTSTART | 15 | Quick out of the blocks, and a hint to the circled letters |
| 62% | BREAKEVEN | 9 | Have no profit or loss, and a hint to the circled letters |
| 62% | BANANAGRAMS | 11 | Popular word game, or, read differently, a hint to the circled letters |
| 61% | NAMECARDS | 9 | Labels at a dinner party ... or a hint to the circled letters hidden in the theme answers? |
| 61% | HIDDENFIGURES | 13 | 2016 Best Picture nominee ... or a hint to the circled letters in 20-, 25- and 43-Across |
| 61% | TRIPLETOSSUP | 12 | "Wheel of Fortune" feature since 2019, and a hint to the circled letters |