| 100% | SIDEARM | 7 | Like some baseball pitches ... and a hint to locating the second part of four three-part puzzle answers |
| 51% | TUMBLEWEEDS | 11 | Drifters in some Western scenes ... and a hint to what's hidden in the three other longest puzzle answers |
| 49% | FRIENDSTOTHEEND | 15 | True buds, and a hint to the last three or four letters of each starred answer |
| 49% | WIRED | 5 | Tense with excitement ... and a hint to the ends of the four longest puzzle answers |
| 49% | ANIMALHOUSE | 11 | 1978 John Belushi movie, and a hint to the first three or four letters of the starred answers |
| 49% | SPILLTHETEA | 11 | "Give me some gossip!" ... and a hint to this puzzle's sets of circles, which affect four Across answers |
| 48% | GENEEDITING | 11 | Molecular manipulation technique ... and a hint to the starts of the three other longest puzzle answers |
| 48% | LITTLEHELPHERE | 14 | "I could use some assistance" ... and a hint to the contents of three squares in this puzzle |
| 47% | BESIDES | 7 | Also ... and, in three parts, a hint to the four longest Across answers |
| 47% | CANDY | 5 | Sweets ... and, in three parts, a hint to the four longest Across answers |
| 47% | SEEMEAFTERCLASS | 15 | Ominous message at the top of a returned assignment ... and a hint to the beginning of four answers in this puzzle? |
| 46% | IBELIEVEICANFLY | 15 | R. Kelly hit whose last title word is aptly rhymed with "sky" in the lyrics ... and a hint to the starts of the other four longest puzzle answers |
| 46% | LENDINGOUT | 10 | Allowing use of, as a library does ... or, in three parts, a hint to four puzzle answers |
| 45% | BANANA | 6 | With 37-Across, some ice cream confections … or a hint to the second, fifth, eleventh and fourteenth rows of this puzzle |
| 45% | BACKBOARD | 9 | Hoop holder, and a hint to the first four letters of each asterisked answer |
| 45% | NONOS | 5 | Taboos, and a hint to the four longest puzzle answers |
| 45% | END | 3 | With 72-Across, evasive strategy ... and a hint to the last several letters of the four longest Across answers |
| 45% | FALLINGLEAVES | 13 | Autumn occurrence, and a hint to the start of the other four longest Down answers |
| 44% | LEGUP | 5 | Boost, and a hint to four of this puzzle's answers |
| 44% | INREVERSE | 9 | Backwards, and a hint to four of this puzzle's answers |
| 44% | ANIMALHOUSE | 11 | Raucous frat film, and a hint to the starts of the other four long Across answers |
| 44% | INSIDEOUT | 9 | Reversed, in a way ... and a hint to the creation of five puzzle answers |
| 44% | POWERCOUPLE | 11 | Influential pairing, and a hint to the circles in four puzzle answers |
| 44% | KITCHENMATCH | 12 | Pilot lighter, and a hint to the four other longest puzzle answers |
| 44% | TWOSTATESOLUTION | 16 | Topic of international negotiations ... and a hint to every four-letter answer in this puzzle |
| 44% | SIDEOFFRIES | 11 | Order at a fast-food restaurant, and a hint to parts of the starred answers |
| 44% | SPLITSCREEN | 11 | Feature of some news reports ... and a hint to the circled letters in this puzzle |
| 44% | SUITSUP | 7 | Gets ready for the big game ... and a hint to four puzzle answers |
| 44% | BEADYEYES | 9 | Ratlike feature, and a hint to a feature of the four starred answers |
| 44% | SIDEBYSIDE | 10 | Together, and a hint to both parts of the answers to starred clues |