| 100% | CANDYCOATED | 11 | Like M&M's, and an apt description of 17-, 27- and 48-Across |
| 70% | SOUNDSRIGHT | 11 | "That tracks," and an apt description of 17-, 27-, and 43-Across? |
| 64% | FOURF | 5 | Not suitable for military service ... or an apt description of 17-, 27-, 49- and 64-Across |
| 59% | PASSINGCOMMENTS | 15 | Offhand remarks, and an apt description of 17-, 23-, 35- and 53-Across |
| 59% | NOMDEPLUME | 10 | Literary alias, and an apt description of 17-, 23-, 36- and 49-Across |
| 58% | TRASHTALK | 9 | Taunts between teams, or an apt description of 16-, 29-, and 48-Across? |
| 57% | INCIDENTALMUSIC | 15 | Score that sets the mood, and an apt description of 17-, 25-, 50-, and 62-Across? |
| 56% | MISSING | 7 | Lost ... or, in two words, an apt description of 17-, 24-, 47- and 59-Across |
| 55% | WATERSHEDMOMENT | 15 | Historical turning point ... and, as three words, a literal description of 17-, 27- and 48-Across |
| 54% | YOUNGATHEART | 12 | Feeling like age is just a number, and an apt description of 18-, 25-, 40-, and 53-Across |
| 53% | GAMECHANGER | 11 | Cause of a major paradigm shift, and an apt description of 17-, 25-, 37-, and 51-Across as well as their sets of circled letters |
| 52% | ADVICECOLUMNS | 13 | "Dear Abby," "Ask Amy," et al., and an apt description of 4-, 8-, and 17-Down |
| 51% | TURNINGAPROPHET | 15 | Punny description of the circled letters in 17-, 27- and 48-Across |
| 51% | DOUBLETALK | 10 | Deliberately ambiguous language, and an apt description of 18-, 26-, and 46-Across |
| 51% | HEROSANDWICH | 12 | Sub, and an apt description of 20-, 34-, or 42-Across |
| 50% | POP | 3 | With 71-Across, Destiny's Child or the Supremes, and an apt description of this puzzle's longest answers |
| 50% | CARINTERIORS | 12 | Passenger compartments, and an apt description of this puzzle's circles |
| 49% | INSTAGRAM | 9 | Social networking service ... or an apt portmanteau for the starts of 17-, 27- and 45-Across |
| 49% | SEATCHANGE | 10 | Irritated passenger's request, and a hint to the ends of 17-, 27- and 48-Across |
| 49% | THATSHALF | 9 | With 42-Across, encouraging words to someone making a good effort, and an apt description of this puzzle's circled letters |
| 49% | SOUNDBITES | 10 | Broadcast news snippets ... or an apt description for 17-, 28- and 46-Across? |
| 49% | THATWASCOOL | 11 | "Nicely done!" and an apt description of 16-, 23-, 51-, and 59-Across |
| 49% | DOUBLETEAM | 10 | Guard aggressively, and an apt description of 18-, 24-, 38-, and 50-Across |
| 49% | SURROUNDSOUND | 13 | Audiophile's setup, and an apt description of the perimeter of this puzzle |
| 49% | SWIPERIGHT | 10 | Indicate willingness to date someone, on Tinder ... and an apt hint to the last part of 17-, 23-, 38- and 48-Across |
| 49% | CVS | 3 | Brief résumés, and an apt description of this puzzle's four longest answers |
| 48% | TAROTCARDREADER | 15 | One examining the starts of 17-, 27- and 48-Across |
| 48% | AUTOTUNE | 8 | Modern music staple that's a punny description of 17-, 24-, 38- and 48-Across |
| 48% | THATSMYJAM | 10 | "I love this song!" … or a doubly apt description of 17-, 28- and 46-Across |
| 48% | CLOSINGSALE | 11 | Going-out-of-business bargain event, and an apt description of this puzzle's circles |