| 100% | ADRAMACRITICIS | 14 | Part 1 of a quip by the writer named in the circled letters |
| 57% | LETAFOOL | 8 | Part 1 of a maxim by Publilius Syrus, hinted at by the series of circled letters |
| 49% | IAMWRITINGA | 11 | Part 1 of a quip by Steven Wright |
| 46% | BREAKABLES | 10 | Fragile articles ... or a hint to the things named by the circled letters |
| 45% | WOLFE | 5 | Author of the 1968 work named in the circled letters (reading clockwise) |
| 44% | TRIMS | 5 | Cuts off a bit of hair ... as seen in the circled letters? |
| 42% | XXXXXX | 6 | First part of a name in the "Star Wars" universe |
| 42% | STAMP | 5 | Part of a book used by letter writers |
| 41% | CROSS | 5 | With 36-Down, intersection ... as suggested by the circled letters in the middle of this puzzle? |
| 41% | IFCLEOPATRASAID | 15 | Part 1 of a quip |
| 41% | EBWHITE | 7 | Author whose last name's first letter, followed by the two initials that precede his last name, form a word in one of his most famous titles |
| 40% | WORD | 4 | Part of a sentence, or change a letter in 22a to get the answer |
| 40% | SPLITSCREEN | 11 | Feature of some news reports ... and a hint to the circled letters in this puzzle |
| 40% | HONOUR | 6 | "I will ___ Christmas in my heart ..." (part 1 of a quote by Scrooge) |
| 40% | PINGPONGTABLE | 13 | Another place to follow the object named in the circled letters |
| 40% | SEVENSEAS | 9 | Result of connecting the circled letters in a certain way, in a punny manner of speaking |
| 40% | NINETYPERCENTOF | 15 | Part 1 of the quip |
| 40% | CONGRATULATIONS | 15 | First part of a message suggested by this puzzle's circled letters |
| 39% | IHAVEADREAMTHATONEDAYON | 23 | Part 1 of a prophecy by Martin Luther King Jr. |
| 39% | RINSECYCLE | 10 | Part of washing ... or what's exhibited by the circled letters from top to bottom |
| 39% | EUMENIDES | 9 | The —, final part of The Oresteia by Aeschylus named after the Erinyes in Greek mythology |
| 39% | WRAPSUP | 7 | Finishes, and a hint to the sets of circled letters in this puzzle |
| 39% | ISIT | 4 | Part 1 of a wordplay-related quip |
| 39% | SLEEPWAKECYCLES | 15 | Body's internal clock patterns, regulated by the phenomenon seen in the circled letters |
| 39% | UPSANDDOWNS | 11 | Vicissitudes of life, as for the inventor named in the circled squares? |
| 39% | SHIN | 4 | Hebrew letter that also names a part of the body |
| 38% | NEWWORLDORDER | 13 | Shake-up in the global balance of power ... and a hint to the circled letters |
| 38% | KARAOKESCREEN | 13 | One place to follow the object named in the circled letters (reading left to right) |
| 38% | ROLLTHEDICE | 11 | Take a chance, and how to form the sequence in each set of circled letters |
| 38% | DEAL | 4 | Word that appears twice in the name of a game show hosted by Howie Mandel |