| 100% | BEDHEAD | 7 | Messy hair in the morning, and a hint to the tops of the theme answers |
| 63% | BEARDOWN | 8 | Put in extra effort, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 62% | HOTANDCOLD | 10 | How emotions may blow, and a hint to the switches in the theme answers |
| 60% | INSIDEOUT | 9 | Reversed, in a way ... and a hint to the creation of five puzzle answers |
| 58% | BEDHEAD | 7 | Mussed hair upon waking, and a hint to the circled starts of answers |
| 58% | SEEMEAFTERCLASS | 15 | Ominous message at the top of a returned assignment ... and a hint to the beginning of four answers in this puzzle? |
| 56% | BUZZWORDS | 9 | Snazzy jargon, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 56% | SEVENSEAS | 9 | Global group, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 56% | ESSAY | 5 | Short article, and a hint to completing the titles in the theme answers |
| 56% | KEYWORD | 7 | Database search option, and a hint to the ends of the starred answers |
| 55% | COKEISIT | 8 | Pop slogan of 1982, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 55% | BEACHFRONT | 10 | Coastal strip of land, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 55% | THEGAMBLER | 10 | 1978 Kenny Rogers hit, and a hint to the ends of the starred answers |
| 55% | PLUMBERS | 8 | '70s covert White House intelligence group ... and, in a more conventional sense, a hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues |
| 55% | BRINGUPTOSPEED | 14 | Loop in, and a hint to the progression found at the ends of the answers to the starred clues |
| 55% | RADIOEDIT | 9 | Shortened version of a pop song ... and a hint to what's hidden in the answers to starred clues |
| 55% | OPENINGBELL | 11 | 9:30 a.m. event at the NYSE, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 54% | WHERETHE | 8 | With 43-Across, an exciting place, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 54% | BACKROOM | 8 | Where shady deals may be made, and a hint to the ends of the starred answers |
| 54% | FLIESSOUTH | 10 | Migrates for the winter, and a hint to the shift in the starred answers |
| 54% | RAINOUT | 7 | Ballpark bummer, and a hint to making sense of the starred answers |
| 54% | CLOCKFACES | 10 | Their third hands are their second hands, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 54% | THERES | 6 | With 36-Across, "This has strings attached," and a hint to the ends of the starred answers |
| 54% | WIRED | 5 | Tense with excitement ... and a hint to the ends of the four longest puzzle answers |
| 54% | FALLINGLEAVES | 13 | Autumn occurrence, and a hint to the start of the other four longest Down answers |
| 54% | INNERCITY | 9 | Densely populated area, and a hint to the capitals in the starred answers |
| 54% | ACIDTEST | 8 | Ordeal ... and a hint to the initials of the answers to starred clues |
| 53% | BUGSOUT | 7 | Leaves in a hurry, or a hint to the cluing of the starred answers |
| 53% | DRESSINGDOWNS | 13 | Severe reprimands, and a hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues |
| 53% | ONYOURFEET | 10 | "Stand up!" ... and a hint to the beginnings of the answers to starred clues |