| 100% | ISNOT | 5 | One side of a childish debate ... or a phonetic hint to the answers to the four starred clues |
| 87% | ISTOO | 5 | Other side of a childish debate ... or a phonetic hint to the answers to the four double-starred clues |
| 63% | CHUCKBERRY | 10 | One of the original Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, whose name is a hint to the answers to the four starred clues |
| 62% | DOWNSIZE | 8 | Diminish the work force ... or a literal hint to the answers to the four starred clues |
| 60% | MIDTERM | 7 | Kind of exam, with a hint to the answers to the four starred clues |
| 55% | BUTTONDOWN | 10 | Very conventional ... or a hint to the starts of the answers to the four starred clues |
| 55% | STANDUPCOMICS | 13 | Dave Chappelle and Dane Cook ... or a literal hint to the answers to the eight starred clues |
| 54% | INITIALREACTION | 15 | Off-the-cuff response … and a hint to the answers to the four starred clues |
| 52% | DEARJOHNLETTERS | 15 | Things used for dumping ... or a literal hint to the answers to the starred clues? |
| 52% | ARTY | 4 | Pretentiously cultured, and a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues |
| 52% | ESCAPEE | 7 | Search dogs' target ... and a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues |
| 52% | WISEOFF | 7 | Make smart remarks ... and a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues |
| 51% | THERESNOWHERETOGOBUTU | 21 | Optimist's phrase under adverse circumstances ... or a hint to completing the answers to the six starred clues |
| 51% | ANIMALHOUSE | 11 | 1978 John Belushi movie, and a hint to the first three or four letters of the starred answers |
| 51% | DOWN | 4 | With 40-Down, how rain falls ... or a literal description of the answers to the four themed clues |
| 51% | WISECRACK | 9 | Witticism ... or, literally, a description of the answer to each of the four starred clues? |
| 51% | BITTEREND | 9 | R? … or a hint to the answers of the five starred clues |
| 50% | CHECKPLEASE | 11 | Words to a server ... or a hint to the first words of the answers to starred clues |
| 50% | PANDA | 5 | World Wildlife Fund logo ... or a three-word hint to the answers to the four starred clues |
| 50% | SHREDDEDWHEAT | 13 | Breakfast cereal ... or a hint to what's found in the answers to the four starred clues? |
| 50% | MAANDPA | 7 | Rural couple ... or what the respective halves of the answers to the four starred clues start with |
| 50% | INTHEPAST | 9 | Back then ... or a hint to the ends of the answers to the starred clues |
| 50% | TIES | 4 | Binds ... or a hint to the starts of the answers to the six starred clues |
| 50% | AGES | 4 | A very long time ... or a hint to the starts of the answers to the five starred clues |
| 50% | SPLITPEA | 8 | Kind of soup ... or a hint to the answers to the five starred clues |
| 50% | YOURATTENTIONPLEASE | 19 | Start of an announcement ... or a hint to what's hidden in the answers to the six starred clues |
| 50% | SAYCHEESE | 9 | "Smile!" ... or a hint to the ends of the answers to the five starred clues |
| 50% | ISLANDHOPPING | 13 | Yachter's itinerary, maybe ... or a hint to understanding the answers to the starred clues |
| 49% | DOUBLETAKE | 10 | Surprised reaction ... or a hint to what can precede both halves of the answers to the starred clues |
| 49% | ITSATRAP | 8 | Warning cry ... or a hint to the beginnings of the answers to the five starred clues |