| 100% | DEFENSIVELINE | 13 | Part of a football team featured in this puzzle: 2 wds. |
| 54% | BOWLGAME | 8 | Either of the College Football Playoff semifinals featured in this puzzle (2 wds.) |
| 49% | FACEMASK | 8 | Front part of a football helmet: 2 wds. |
| 48% | MINUTEHAND | 10 | Part of a clock depicted four times in this puzzle? |
| 46% | BACKFIELD | 9 | Part of a football team |
| 45% | FIRSTDOWN | 9 | Result of a completed pass in football, perhaps: 2 wds. |
| 44% | STARTINGQB | 10 | Key member of a football team, in brief ... or a feature of 16-, 29-, 35- and 42-Across? |
| 43% | NHL | 3 | Sports organization for the teams featured in this puzzle (Abbr.) |
| 43% | THIS | 4 | "___ Means War," 2012 film starring Chris Pine ... or part of a New Year's wish highlighted in this puzzle |
| 43% | YOUR | 4 | "How to Train ___ Dragon," 2010 animated film ... or part of a New Year's wish highlighted in this puzzle |
| 43% | LAA | 3 | "... ___ note to follow so" or part of a solfege note in a "The Sound of Music" song: 2 wds. |
| 43% | MEA | 3 | "... ___ name I call myself" or part of a solfege note in a "The Sound of Music" song: 2 wds. |
| 43% | TAKE | 4 | "Every Breath You ___," 2021 film starring Casey Affleck ... or part of a New Year's wish highlighted in this puzzle |
| 42% | LOOPDELOOPS | 11 | Upside-down parts of a roller coaster ride — represented twice in the answer to each of this puzzle's starred clues |
| 42% | PROFESSORPLUM | 13 | First part of a possible solution in a game of Clue (2 wds.) |
| 41% | ULTERIORMOTIVE | 14 | Part of a hidden agenda: 2 wds. |
| 41% | BEERCANS | 8 | Parts of a six-pack: 2 wds. |
| 41% | LINTTRAP | 8 | Part of a dryer that catches fuzz: 2 wds. |
| 41% | NAPTIME | 7 | Part of a tot's daily schedule: 2 wds. |
| 41% | NYNY | 4 | Part of a Manhattan mailing address: 2 wds., abbr. |
| 40% | ACTI | 4 | Opening part of a play: 2 wds. |
| 40% | ACTI | 4 | First part of a play: 2 wds. |
| 40% | BIKELANE | 8 | Cyclists' part of a road: 2 wds. |
| 40% | SPARERIB | 8 | Part of a rack at a barbecue restaurant: 2 wds. |
| 40% | THEME | 5 | Parts of a bride's attire, for this puzzle |
| 40% | JUSTICELEAGUE | 13 | 41-Across's superhero team featured in a DC Comics film directed by Zack Snyder (2 wds.) |
| 40% | BASSLINE | 8 | Low instrumental part of a song: 2 wds. |
| 40% | DOMEPATROL | 10 | 15a was a part of this four-man linebacking corps known as the best in NFL history: 2 wds. |
| 40% | DARKMEAT | 8 | More colorful part of a roast turkey: 2 wds. |
| 40% | CUETIP | 6 | Chalked-up part of a pool stick: 2 wds. |