| 100% | BALLDROP | 8 | New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square commonly referred to as the ___: 2 wds. |
| 40% | EYEDPEAS | 8 | Black ___, eaten on New Year's Day in Southern United States to bring good fortune in the new year: 2 wds. |
| 39% | BALLDROP | 8 | Times Square action on New Year's Eve (2 wds.) |
| 37% | BALL | 4 | It drops in Times Square on New Year's Eve |
| 36% | BALL | 4 | Focus of attention in Times Square on New Year's Eve |
| 35% | BALLDROP | 8 | Iconic Times Square start to the New Year |
| 35% | LITTLEBIGHORN | 13 | Iconic site in Montana, that preserves the site of the battle that was fought here, commonly referred to as "Custer's Last Stand": 2 wds. |
| 35% | POLKA | 5 | ___ dots, pattern worn on New Year's Eve in the Philippines to welcome prosperity |
| 34% | NANCYDREW | 9 | Fictional amateur detective created as the female counterpart to the series in 13a: 2 wds. |
| 33% | NESTOR | 6 | King of Pylos referred to as the Gerenian horseman in Homer's The Iliad |
| 33% | ROSEBOWL | 8 | New Year's Day football game played in Pasadena: 2 wds. |
| 32% | TIM | 3 | Where the ball drops on New Year's Eve ... as depicted literally in four places in this puzzle |
| 32% | PINKFLAMINGOS | 13 | 1972 John Waters movie whose poster referred to it as "An Exercise in Poor Taste": 2 wds. |
| 32% | CHAMPAGNE | 9 | New Year's Eve libation whose uncorking sound can be found in the starred answers |
| 32% | THETERMINATOR | 13 | Movie featuring former bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger as the cyborg assassin T-800 sent back in time: 2 wds. |
| 31% | PARTYHAT | 8 | Headwear worn at a New Year's Eve bash: 2 wds. |
| 31% | REALMADRID | 10 | Spanish professional football club which was recognised as the FIFA Club of the century in the year 2000: 2 wds. |
| 31% | BALL | 4 | Times Square dropper on New Year's Eve |
| 31% | RULESOF | 7 | "___ Civility," 2011 novel by Amor Towles which begins on New Year's eve in 1937: 2 wds. |
| 31% | ROSEBOWL | 8 | College football game first played on New Year's Day in 1902: 2 wds. |
| 31% | KATEWINSLET | 11 | "Titanic" actress who stars as the waitress married to James Belushi's character: 2 wds. |
| 31% | BALLDROP | 8 | New Year's Eve tradition in the Big Apple, and what can be found in 3-, 8-, 33-, and 37-Down? |
| 31% | CROWDED | 7 | Like Times Square on New Year's Eve |
| 31% | AROAR | 5 | Like Times Square on New Year's Eve |
| 31% | WINTERARC | 9 | Season-long alternative to a New Year's resolution, or what the letters in the shaded squares represent? |
| 31% | PARTY | 5 | New Year's Eve celebration, for example |
| 30% | LOSEWEIGHT | 10 | Common New Year's resolution -- as hinted at by the answers to the four starred clues |
| 30% | BABOON | 6 | Rafiki is referred to as one in The Lion King |
| 30% | FIRSTNIGHT | 10 | New Year's Eve celebration (and SEE TITLE) |
| 30% | PAULWHITEMAN | 12 | American composer often referred to as "King of Jazz": 2 wds. |