| 100% | ABOLITION | 9 | Official end, e.g. to slavery or a monarchy |
| 47% | ARM | 3 | Give mace or a mace to, e.g. |
| 46% | ERRAND | 6 | Grocery shopping or a trip to the post office, e.g. |
| 45% | RATE | 4 | Give a G or an M to, e.g. |
| 44% | LAPTOP | 6 | Notebook, e.g. ... or an alternative to a spiral notebook in class |
| 43% | SUFFIX | 6 | Ending added to a word, e.g. -tion, -ing |
| 41% | NOTE | 4 | A, B, C, D, E, F or G |
| 40% | BREAKDOWN | 9 | Stop functioning or fail to start, e.g. a vehicle |
| 40% | MATE | 4 | Ending for "check" or "stale," to a chess player |
| 40% | PARTYFOUL | 9 | Knocking over someone's drink, e.g. … or, homophonically, a hint to 17-, 27-, 39- and 54-Across |
| 40% | PAYOFF | 6 | Denouement, or satisfying end to a film |
| 40% | GIVEAWAY | 8 | Reveal, e.g. a plot twist or a film's ending |
| 40% | VWS | 3 | Bugs, e.g. ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 40% | SEALANT | 7 | E.g. caulk, or silicone glue to go round a bath |
| 40% | EREADER | 7 | Kindle, e.g. ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme? |
| 40% | COOLDOWN | 8 | Slow movement or stretching to end a workout |
| 40% | CLIFFHANGER | 11 | Suspenseful ending to a TV show or film |
| 40% | ASSET | 5 | Car or house, e.g. (to a bank) |
| 39% | FRUIT | 5 | Banana or orange, e.g. or connect this to 14a to get a tasty treat |
| 39% | III | 3 | The third ... or a hint to the rhyming ends of every Across answer |
| 39% | ACCESSORY | 9 | An add-on to an outfit e.g. a handbag or earrings |
| 39% | AMEN | 4 | Word used to end a prayer or express agreement |
| 39% | ORCHESTRA | 9 | Musical group, or a hint to the ends of 20-, 37- and 52-Across |
| 38% | SAYCHEESE | 9 | "Smile!" ... or a hint to the ends of the answers to the five starred clues |
| 38% | INTHEPAST | 9 | Back then ... or a hint to the ends of the answers to the starred clues |
| 38% | PET | 3 | Cat or a turtle, e.g. |
| 38% | EVENT | 5 | Concert or a fundraiser, e.g. |
| 38% | PET | 3 | Tarantula or a turtle, e.g. |
| 38% | UNIT | 4 | Mile or a minute, e.g. |
| 38% | PET | 3 | Parrot or a poodle, e.g. |