| 100% | BOBDOLE | 7 | Lead story in tomorrow's newspaper (!), with 43-Across |
| 43% | DAGWOOD | 7 | With 43 Across, Cookie's parents |
| 42% | LIAM | 4 | With 43 Across, ''Schindler's List'' star |
| 40% | EDIE | 4 | With 52-Across, lead female role in TV's "Peter Gunn" |
| 39% | MIRANDA | 7 | With 43-Across, country singer who married Blake Shelton in 2011 |
| 38% | THISMIGHTSOLVE | 14 | With 43 Across, inspiration encouragement |
| 38% | ILL | 3 | With 43 Across, evil person |
| 38% | YOULL | 5 | With 21 Across, 3 Down, 8 Down, and 20 Down, response to Ralphie's request for a BB gun in "A Christmas Story" |
| 38% | CHINESE | 7 | With 43-Across, historical period found in each set of circled letters |
| 38% | SKETCH | 6 | With 43 Across, art store purchase |
| 38% | CONGRESS | 8 | With 43 Across, German Confederation creator |
| 37% | BUTTONS | 7 | With 43 Across, Oscar song for 1947 |
| 37% | NEVERNEVER | 10 | With 43-Across, where the directions at 17-, 22-, 33- and 57-Across lead |
| 37% | OPED | 4 | With 84-Across, think piece in a newspaper |
| 36% | MARY | 4 | With 43 Across, Supporting Actress (''Melvin and Howard'') |
| 36% | THEYMIGHT | 9 | With 43-Across, alternative rock band led by John Flansburgh and John Linnell: 2 wds. |
| 35% | MATRIXOF | 8 | With 43 Across, grid of numbers illustrating a sports transaction? |
| 35% | LASH | 4 | With 43-Across, a 1940's movie cowboy |
| 35% | TIC | 3 | With 40- and 43-Across, game that's been played in each of this puzzle's corners |
| 35% | MEGANTHEE | 9 | With 43-Across, "Savage" rapper who was named a Revlon Global Brand Ambassador in 2020: 2 wds. |
| 34% | CRAW | 4 | 43-Across in one's ___ |
| 34% | PLAYERMANAGER | 13 | Role for 43-Across with the Cleveland Indians in the 1970s (Hyph.) |
| 34% | TIMETOHITTHEHAY | 15 | With 43-Across, line spoken by the show's star |
| 34% | WALKON | 6 | With 43-Across, Lou Reed's signature song: 2 wds. |
| 34% | MURDER | 6 | With 57-Across, story in the offing? |
| 34% | MAÑANA | 6 | Tomorrow, in 43-Down |
| 34% | THELIFEOF | 9 | With 22 Across, Taylor Swift's upcoming 12th album, announced in August 2025 |
| 33% | BUZZ | 4 | ___ Lightyear, "Toy Story" character with double "Z's" in his name |
| 33% | AUDRAMCDONALD | 13 | Six-time Tony-winning actress who co-hosted the Tony Awards with 43-Across in 2021 (2 wds.) |
| 33% | BARNARDBULLETIN | 15 | College newspaper with a rustic 57 Across? |