| 100% | STSTEPNT | 8 | Loud and harsh [start crowding the crotch] |
| 47% | STRIDENT | 8 | Loud and harsh |
| 46% | BLARE | 5 | Loud and harsh noise |
| 39% | ROAR | 4 | Loud cheer from the crowd |
| 39% | ROAR | 4 | Loud sound from the crowd |
| 38% | RUSHHOUR | 8 | Start and finish of the work day |
| 38% | ALL | 3 | Start and end of the Musketeers' motto |
| 38% | OOH | 3 | The ___s and aahs of enthusiastic crowd |
| 37% | ALL | 3 | Start and end of the Three Musketeers' motto |
| 36% | TAOS | 4 | Start and end of the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway |
| 36% | BELGRADE | 8 | Crowded Serbian city on the Sava and Danube rivers |
| 36% | PRIMECUTS | 9 | The starts of 18-, 23-, 39- and 52-Across |
| 36% | LOOMPA | 6 | Start for a "land" in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" |
| 36% | OOMPA | 5 | Start of a "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" song |
| 36% | SONGBYPAULSIMON | 15 | The starts to 17-, 30-, 38- and 47-Across, collectively |
| 36% | TENSEEXCHANGE | 13 | Harsh words regarding the past and the present? |
| 35% | BELL | 4 | Sound signaling the start and end of class |
| 35% | KNOCKEMDEAD | 11 | "Get on that stage and wow the crowd" |
| 35% | ONMYHONOR | 9 | Start of the Boy Scout Oath and the Girl Scout Promise |
| 35% | ONLY | 4 | Start for the Top 40 song titles "Sixteen," "Time" and "You" |
| 35% | GETARAISE | 9 | Start to make more money, and what the circled letters do? |
| 35% | VIS | 3 | Letters common to the start of "vision" and "visor" |
| 35% | OREGANO | 7 | Herb that starts and ends with the same letter |
| 35% | OHIO | 4 | State that starts and ends with the same letter |
| 35% | URDU | 4 | Language that starts and ends with the same letter |
| 35% | MRGREEN | 7 | He starts between the Ballroom and Conservatory |
| 34% | SPLIT | 5 | Start of the contest answer, and a nudge to finding the rest |
| 34% | SPEAKUP | 7 | "Louder!"...and a clue to the starts of four Down answers |
| 34% | DUALIPA | 7 | Singer of "Dance the Night" and "Don't Start Now" |
| 34% | ODDSANDENDS | 11 | Hint to the starts of 20-, 27- and 50-Across |