| 100% | UKES | 4 | Neil Armstrong and Herbert Buckingham Khaury were both pretty good at playing these, in brief |
| 26% | TINATURNER | 10 | "The Best" singer, and what this puzzle is, in the circles |
| 25% | ROMA | 4 | 2019 Best Picture nominee in which both Mixtec and Spanish are spoken |
| 25% | TRICKORTREAT | 12 | What is found divided at the starts and ends of nine answers in this puzzle |
| 24% | SOAPS | 5 | Galen of Pergamon described these in the 2nd century and stated the best were Germanic with Gaulish ones second best |
| 24% | INNES | 5 | Neil —, musician and comedian who played Ron Nasty in 1978 TV film The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash |
| 24% | TIC | 3 | With 40- and 43-Across, game that's been played in each of this puzzle's corners |
| 24% | KEATON | 6 | Better known surname of actor Michael John Douglas, who was in "Worth" shown at this year's Sundance Film Festival |
| 23% | CHUCKCONNORS | 12 | Actor who was one of only 13 athletes to play in both the NBA and the MLB (2 wds.) |
| 23% | EZRA | 4 | "In music news, No. 1 on the college charts this summer was 'Better Than ___.' And at No. 2: '___.'" (Norm Macdonald joke) |
| 23% | DONUT | 5 | Treat whose varieties appear at the starts of four long answers and are represented a dozen times in this puzzle |
| 23% | DOMINICTHIEM | 12 | Austrian tennis pro who was runner-up to Rafael Nadal at the French Open in both 2018 and 2019 (2 wds.) |
| 23% | NET | 3 | Karl, Herman, Joseph and Helen performed at Madison Square Garden in 1928 without this item that had been lost in transit |
| 23% | AMYPOEHLER | 10 | Actress who played the role of Leslie Knope in "Parks and Recreation", a role she is best-known for: 2 wds. |
| 22% | LAURYNHILL | 10 | "Everything Is Everything" singer who received the Grammys for both Album of the Year and Best New Artist in 1999: 2 wds. |
| 22% | HEALTHY | 7 | Being in good physical and mental condition |
| 22% | PLAIN | 5 | In literature, Sarah was this and Tall |
| 22% | RACE | 4 | The next one of these will start in Paris on September 5th, 2021 and end (hopefully) on November 16th, 2021 at Dakar, Senegal |
| 22% | IMPOSSIBLE | 10 | Burger that was both Kosher and Halal certified in 2018 |
| 22% | AVENUES | 7 | In New York, Lexington and Park are these |
| 22% | LOPE | 4 | This should be good in the long run |
| 22% | TREAT | 5 | Goodies mentioned in 19a, 23a, 32a, 45a, and 21d which if brought to life will serve both as a "trick and a ___" this Halloween! |
| 22% | WILTON | 6 | This was Derek and Mavis's surname in Corrie |
| 21% | ACTS | 4 | A play may be divided in these |
| 21% | VITAMINB | 8 | Thiamin and Riboflavin are in this class |
| 21% | NIGERIA | 7 | Lagos and Abuja are in this country |
| 21% | CARIBBEAN | 9 | Jamaica and Barbados are in this sea |
| 21% | SYRIA | 5 | Damascus and Aleppo are in this nation |
| 21% | WILLEM | 6 | I played Vincent van Gogh in "At Eternity's Gate" and was nominated for an Oscar |
| 21% | WHITNEYHOUSTON | 14 | Singer and actress who played Rachel Marron in 18a and whose cover of "I Will Always Love You" became a best-selling single: 2 wds. |