| 100% | NFL | 3 | Organization whose forerunner was founded in 1920 with 15-Across, the sport's biggest star, as its president |
| 38% | CRIMESCENE | 10 | "CSI: ___," with 31-Across, the name of a TV show Liev Schreiber - whose birthday it is today - guest starred in as Michael Keppler: 2 wds. |
| 31% | ALASKA | 6 | State whose flag, with eight gold stars in the shape of the Big Dipper, was designed by a 13-year-old |
| 30% | MICHAEL | 7 | With 33-Across, pop singer whose posthumous album "This Is It" topped the charts in 2009 |
| 30% | IKEA | 4 | Retailer whose logo colors are the same as on its founder's national flag |
| 29% | THEXFILES | 9 | American sci-fi TV show starring David Duchovny, that is regarded as one of the best and is returning with its 11th season in 2018: 2 wds. |
| 29% | CHANTAL | 7 | With 15-Across, director whose 1975 film, Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, was named the best film of all time in a recent Sight & Sound poll |
| 28% | CARLYRAE | 8 | With 15-Across, artist whose album The Loveliest Time was released today |
| 28% | JIM | 3 | With 28-Across, "Mr. Popper's Penguins" star who plays the title role in 15-Across |
| 28% | KUOMINTANG | 10 | Political party in China known as the KMT whose first president was Song Jiaoren |
| 28% | BASEBALL | 8 | Team sport originating in the US whose playing field is known as a diamond |
| 28% | SESAME | 6 | With 29-Across, children's show starring Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch that debuted in 1969 |
| 28% | EBB | 3 | With 15-Across, 1953 song that was a hit for the Righteous Brothers in 1965 |
| 27% | TONYCURTIS | 10 | "Some Like It Hot" star whose first name is the same as a Broadway award: 2 wds. |
| 27% | DEER | 4 | With 73 Across, road sign that hints at something found four times in this puzzle (as well as its shape) |
| 27% | BIBLE | 5 | With 4-Down, much of the Southeast U.S. is in it |
| 26% | SHAWNJOHNSON | 12 | Gymnast who won season 8 and was runner-up in season 15 of "Dancing With the Stars": 2 wds. |
| 26% | CHAMPAGNE | 9 | New Year's Eve libation whose uncorking sound can be found in the starred answers |
| 26% | NORTH | 5 | With 8-Across, country whose legislature is known as the Supreme People's Assembly |
| 26% | STATE | 5 | With 70-Across, what the first word of each long Across answer is vis-à-vis the bracketed place in its clue |
| 26% | WATER | 5 | With 7-Across, it might be the tallest structure in a small town |
| 26% | SKATEBOARDING | 13 | Sport that will make its debut in the 2020 Olympics and involves riding and performing tricks on a narrow board with wheels |
| 26% | WATER | 5 | It can be found in the spring |
| 26% | JENNIFER | 8 | With 46-Across, "The Hunger Games" star who was Forbes's highest-paid actress in 2016 |
| 26% | BASEBALL | 8 | One of the sports 15-Across played as a pro, for six seasons with three teams |
| 25% | LUKE | 4 | The prodigal son is found in it |
| 25% | RODDY | 5 | With 32-Across, American rapper whose "The Box" was the #3 song on Spotify in 2020 |
| 25% | CHRIS | 5 | With 33-Across, "Guardians of the Galaxy" star who plays Owen Grady in 15-/49-Across |
| 25% | ICEHOCKEY | 9 | Popular winter sport whose origin may be disputed but the game in its contemporary form was first played in Montreal, Canada: 2 wds. |
| 25% | ITSAMADMADMADMADWORLD | 21 | 1963 movie with the tagline "Everybody who's ever been funny is in it!" |