| 100% | TOOCLEVERBYHALF | 15 | Overly inventive ... or a hint to the answers to 17-, 26- and 42-Across |
| 76% | FRENCHOPEN | 10 | Big clay court event ... or a hint to the answers to 17-, 26-, 40- and 52-Across |
| 70% | STICKWITHIT | 11 | Persevere, or a hint to the ends of the answers to 17-, 26-, 53-, and 62-Across |
| 67% | PHOTOFINISH | 11 | Close race ending, and a hint to the answers to 17-, 26-, 39- and 54-Across |
| 67% | BUTTHEADS | 9 | Disagree ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 26-, 40- and 49-Across |
| 67% | PENCILMEIN | 10 | Tentative "It's a date" ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 26-, and 48-Across |
| 66% | HAPPYFOURTH | 11 | Annual greeting ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 26-, 39- and 48-Across |
| 66% | THREEON | 7 | Bases loaded ... or a hint to the contents of 17-, 26-, 44- and 56-Across |
| 66% | PAIROFJOKERS | 12 | Cards #53 and #54 in a deck ... or a hint to the answers to 19-, 26-, 35- and 47-Across |
| 64% | SOMETHINGWICKED | 15 | Start of a Ray Bradbury title ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 26-, 49- and 62-Across |
| 64% | HORSEPLAY | 9 | Roughhousing ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 21-, 26-, 33-, 40-, 43-, 47- and 56-Across |
| 64% | WITHINCOST | 10 | Reasonably priced ... or a hint to 17-, 19-, 26-, 34-, 42- and 51-Across |
| 63% | MIDDLESEAT | 10 | Cramped spot for a plane passenger ... or a hint to something hidden in 17-, 26-, 34-, 42- and 51-Across |
| 62% | FINISHLINE | 10 | End of a race … or a hint to the conversation closers at 18-, 26- and 42-Across |
| 62% | INNERNERD | 9 | The secret geeky part of you ... or a hint to 17-, 23-, 32-, 42- and 49-Across |
| 61% | SEEMEAFTERCLASS | 15 | Ominous request from a teacher ... or a hint to the first words (and following letters!) of 17-, 26- and 43-Across |
| 61% | HALFTIME | 8 | Game break … or a hint to interpreting the first parts of 17-, 26-, 36-, and 52-Across? |
| 61% | FIVEIRONS | 9 | Fairway clubs ... or a hint to the starts of the answers to 17-, 24- and 45-Across and 10- and 37-Down |
| 61% | COUNTERFEITCOIN | 15 | Slug, or a hint to the starts of 17-, 28- and 46-Across |
| 60% | KICKSTARTER | 11 | Crowdfunding site ... or a hint to the beginnings of 17-, 30- and 46-Across |
| 60% | CUTITOUT | 8 | "Stop that!" ... and a hint to the answers to 17-, 23-, 39- and 52-Across |
| 60% | PARFORTHECOURSE | 15 | Average ... or a literal hint to 17-, 26- and 42-Across |
| 59% | BOOBYTRAPS | 10 | Dangers for the unwary ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 23- and 47-Across? |
| 59% | LAUGHINGOUTLOUD | 15 | Bit of textspeak, unshortened ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 27- and 49-Across |
| 59% | PLANTMANAGERS | 13 | Factory supervisors ... or a hint to the starts of 20-, 36- and 42-Across |
| 59% | GENERALDISARRAY | 15 | Chaos ... or a hint to the contents of 17-, 28-, 34- and 43-Across |
| 59% | LATEBLOOMER | 11 | One who catches up eventually ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 30- and 46-Across |
| 59% | PROCESSEDMEAT | 13 | Spam or sausage ... or a hint to the starts of 20-, 35- and 42-Across |
| 59% | CATCHMEIFYOUCAN | 15 | 2002 Spielberg film ... and a hint to the start of 17-, 26- and 48-Across |
| 59% | REFUSED | 7 | Said no ... or, interpreted differently, a hint to entering the answers to 16-, 26-, 46- and 61-Across |