| 100% | CLUTCH | 6 | Like a winning play in the final seconds of overtime |
| 43% | AFEW | 4 | "___ Seconds of Panic: A Sportswriter Plays in the NFL" (Stefan Fatsis memoir) (2 wds.) |
| 42% | ISOLATED | 8 | Like a secluded cabin in the middle of nowhere |
| 42% | RUN | 3 | Participate in the final part of a triathlon |
| 41% | ONFIRE | 6 | In the middle of a hell of winning streak |
| 41% | ICY | 3 | Like a windshield in need of scraping in the winter |
| 41% | EERIE | 5 | Like a wolf's howl in the dead of night |
| 41% | ROMEO | 5 | Boy in the title of a Shakespeare play |
| 40% | DAVE | 4 | Only character shown in the final 30 minutes of "2001: A Space Odyssey" |
| 40% | DEMURE | 6 | Like a lot of the attire in "The Handmaid's Tale" |
| 40% | RAN | 3 | Took part in the final leg of a triathlon |
| 40% | PIMPERNEL | 9 | "Scarlet" flower in the title of a famous play |
| 40% | ROMEO | 5 | Young man in the title of a Shakespeare play |
| 40% | POTENT | 6 | Strong, like a bet of TEN in the POT? |
| 40% | III | 3 | Roman numeral in the name of a second sequel |
| 40% | III | 3 | Roman numeral in the title of a second sequel |
| 40% | SLIM | 4 | Like the chance of winning a lottery |
| 40% | HOOCH | 5 | Marla who plays second base for the Peaches in "A League of Their Own" |
| 40% | LISASIMPSON | 11 | Animated girl who was in the finals of a crossword puzzle tournament: 2 wds. |
| 40% | OLDSMOBILE | 10 | The final one came out of a Lansing plant in April 2004 |
| 40% | ONEEYED | 7 | Like a cyclops or some of the Minions in "Despicable Me": Hyph. |
| 40% | RAISIN | 6 | Dried fruit in the title of a Lorraine Hansberry play |
| 40% | ADO | 3 | Word after "Much" in the title of a Shakespeare play |
| 40% | LASTUP | 6 | Like the final batter in a batting order |
| 40% | SPECTATOR | 9 | In a play, a member of the audience |
| 40% | POT | 3 | The total winnings of a round in poker |
| 39% | FOULPROOF | 9 | Like one playing basketball in a suit of armor? |
| 39% | ROSALIND | 8 | Girl in the play As You Like It disguised as a boy |
| 39% | ADO | 3 | Word meaning "excitement" that's in the title of a Shakespeare play |