| 100% | STPATRICKSDAY | 13 | Observance associated with eight key words in this puzzle |
| 60% | AFTERPARTY | 10 | Post-event bash ... or where eight key words in this puzzle might appear |
| 56% | SAINTNICHOLAS | 13 | Figure associated with eight answers in this puzzle |
| 56% | DIAMONDS | 8 | Things associated with eight answers in this puzzle |
| 53% | TAKESTOTHEAIR | 13 | Starts traveling like seven key words in this puzzle |
| 53% | CHRISTMAS | 9 | Word that can precede the starts of eight key words in this puzzle |
| 52% | SHADESOFPINK | 12 | What seven key words in this puzzle are |
| 51% | USS | 3 | Abbr. that can precede nine key words in this puzzle |
| 51% | IRATE | 5 | What nine key words in this puzzle are synonyms of |
| 51% | UNDERTHEHOOD | 12 | Where nine key words in this puzzle can be found |
| 49% | DEPART | 6 | What the last words of eight key answers in this puzzle are slangy synonyms of |
| 49% | TENNISANYONE | 12 | Question you might feel like asking after seeing nine key words in this puzzle? |
| 48% | TWO | 3 | Number of words in this puzzle beginning with the letter "C" |
| 48% | SNOWWHITE | 9 | Woman associated with seven other answers in this puzzle |
| 43% | PICKEDUPTHEPACE | 15 | Hurried, and what this puzzle's word ladder literally did in eight steps? |
| 43% | BEFOREHAND | 10 | In advance ... or where nine key words in this puzzle might appear |
| 42% | ACROSS | 6 | Direction of about half the words in this puzzle |
| 42% | TEST | 4 | Any of the eight circled words in this puzzle, and what's spelled out by their intersections |
| 41% | DOLLAR | 6 | Source of all the tender words in this puzzle? |
| 41% | RISING | 6 | Ascendant, like four words in this puzzle |
| 41% | ENG | 3 | Language of the words in this puzzle: Abbr. |
| 40% | JAMESBOND | 9 | Character associated with the beverage "shaken" in this puzzle's circled letters |
| 40% | GOESUPANDDOWN | 13 | What each group of circled words in this puzzle does |
| 40% | TEN | 3 | Number of one-voweled, seven-letter words in this puzzle |
| 40% | ACME | 4 | Synonym for the first word in this puzzle's title |
| 39% | BENJAMIN | 8 | With 32-Down, person associated with the scene depicted in this puzzle's grid |
| 39% | YELLOW | 6 | Bright sunny color that is associated with the characters mentioned in this puzzle |
| 39% | ELBA | 4 | Island whose name is another word in this puzzle spelled backward |
| 39% | NEWYEAR | 7 | What the last four letters of eight key answers in this puzzle might be considered, cryptically |
| 39% | GOREVIDALNOVELS | 15 | What the first words of eight long answers in this puzzle are |