| 100% | WHEREWASI | 9 | Lost-one's-place words often preceded by the two-letter start of 17-, 29- and 49-Across |
| 44% | DOVER | 5 | Capital suggested by the circled letters and by the starts of 17- and 63-Across and 11- and 29-Down |
| 42% | TRICKY | 6 | Word spelled phonetically by the starts of 1-, 20-, 27-, 36-, 49- and 56-Across |
| 41% | USATODAYSECTION | 15 | One can be found at the starts of 17-, 29- and 45-Across |
| 41% | ANDABOTTLEOFRUM | 15 | Words after the starting syllables of 17-, 29- and 43-Across |
| 40% | GREATWHITE | 10 | Words that can precede the starts of 20-, 29- and 45-Across |
| 40% | BRAIN | 5 | Word that can precede the starts of 17-, 35- and 54-Across and 16-Down |
| 40% | FORSAKE | 7 | Abandon ... or two words often seen next to the starts of 17-, 27-, 47- and 60-Across |
| 40% | BANG | 4 | Sound suggested by the first letters of the words in 17-, 26-, 44- and 58-Across |
| 39% | CAPTAIN | 7 | Title that can precede the starts of 17-, 23-, 49- and 59-Across |
| 39% | TREASUREMAP | 11 | Pirate's guide that's hinted at phonetically by the starts of 17-, 29- and 44-Across |
| 39% | BROWN | 5 | Word that can precede the starts of 17- and 62-Across and 11- and 35-Down |
| 39% | BESTMUSICAL | 11 | Award won by the starts of 17-, 25-, 39- and 52-Across and 11- and 29-Down |
| 38% | EBWHITE | 7 | Author whose last name's first letter, followed by the two initials that precede his last name, form a word in one of his most famous titles |
| 38% | FASTBREAK | 9 | Dynamic basketball sequence represented by the starts of 17-, 23-, 30-, 40- and 49-Across |
| 37% | TAROTCARDREADER | 15 | One examining the starts of 17-, 27- and 48-Across |
| 37% | COLDOPEN | 8 | Start of each "S.N.L." episode ... or a hint to the initials of the words in 17-, 24-, 35- and 47-Across |
| 37% | ONETWOTHREEFOUR | 15 | Start of a count ... or the letter frequencies in 17-, 30-, 46- and 64-Across |
| 36% | AFFIX | 5 | Add-on to the start or end of a word stem (as in 17-, 25-, 35-, 49- and 57-Across) |
| 36% | PHASESOFTHEMOON | 15 | Starts of 17-, 27- and 49-Across |
| 36% | LOUISAMAYALCOTT | 15 | Author who created the characters named by the starts of 17-, 24-, 49- and 61-Across |
| 36% | CHILDSTOYS | 10 | Bearers of a phrase suggested by saying the starts of 17-, 24-, 38- and 49-Across |
| 36% | VERVE | 5 | Characteristic suggested by the first words of 17-, 20-, 36-, 55- and 60-Across |
| 36% | CLEANENERGY | 11 | "Green" topic suggested by the starts of 20-Across and 11- and 29-Down |
| 36% | STOPTHE | 7 | Words that can precede the last parts of 17- and 61-Across and 11- and 29-Down |
| 36% | HUMAN | 5 | Word that can precede the first word of 17- and 64-Across and 11- and 29-Down |
| 36% | STOPLIGHTCOLORS | 15 | Starts of 17-, 27- and 49-Across, collectively |
| 36% | THREERS | 7 | Elementary education ... or feature of the last words punned upon in 17-, 29-, 49- and 66-Across |
| 36% | THEOLYMPICGAMES | 15 | Event suggested by the starts of 17-, 35- and 40-Across |
| 36% | THIRTYDAYS | 10 | Feature of the time periods hinted at by the starting letters of 17-, 23-, 38- and 47-Across |