| 100% | SEASONS | 7 | Part one of a way to wish loved ones during Christmas and New Years |
| 98% | GREETINGS | 9 | Part two of a way to wish loved ones during Christmas and New Years |
| 58% | CARD | 4 | Holiday ___, item sent out to wish dear ones during Christmas and New Year |
| 40% | YOUR | 4 | "How to Train ___ Dragon," 2010 animated film ... or part of a New Year's wish highlighted in this puzzle |
| 36% | DISAPPEARINGACT | 15 | Part of a magic show, and the key to understanding this puzzle's one-word clues |
| 36% | MMI | 3 | New millennium year, or a part of 20-, 37- and 49-Across |
| 36% | FELONY | 6 | For a class E one of these you could get up to 5 years and a $250,000 fine |
| 35% | EDGEWISE | 8 | One way to get a word in ... and an aural hint to a feature of the starred clues' answers |
| 35% | SANDCASTLE | 10 | *Snowman alternative for Christmas in July ... and a structure one might build during a visit to the beach |
| 35% | TRIMTHETREE | 11 | Decorate for Christmas, in a way, and how to make sense of the answer to each starred clue? |
| 34% | DELIVERY | 8 | Contactless ___, term popularized during the pandemic to mean a new way of receiving packages |
| 34% | KISS | 4 | ___ cam, big screen moment captured between innings, or a New Year's tradition that is shared between loved ones |
| 34% | DREAMS | 6 | "Field of ___," 1989 film starring Kevin Costner ... or part of a New Year's wish highlighted in this puzzle |
| 34% | THIS | 4 | "___ Means War," 2012 film starring Chris Pine ... or part of a New Year's wish highlighted in this puzzle |
| 34% | ROSEPARADE | 10 | Annual New Year's Day spectacle ... and a hint to the starts of 17-, 23-, 36- and 49-Across |
| 34% | CHRISTTHEREDEEMER | 17 | Facebook Status: "2016 Summer Olympics and a day trip to one of the new Seven Wonders of the World!" |
| 34% | TAKE | 4 | "Every Breath You ___," 2021 film starring Casey Affleck ... or part of a New Year's wish highlighted in this puzzle |
| 33% | FLIGHT | 6 | "The ___ of the Phoenix," 1965 film starring James Stewart ... or part of a New Year's wish highlighted in this puzzle |
| 33% | GASMAN | 6 | One who wears fireproof clothes, carries up to 95 pounds and is a crucial part of the pit crew |
| 33% | WANNABET | 8 | "Care to wager?" ... and a question answered, one way or the other, by the first words of the answers to starred clues |
| 33% | ONE | 3 | Part of a New Year's Eve countdown |
| 33% | SLAY | 4 | One way to get rid of a dragon |
| 33% | TBAR | 4 | One way to the top of a mountain |
| 32% | HORSEAROUND | 11 | Engage in tomfoolery ... and a hint to what goes with each part of the answers to starred clues, but not in the same way |
| 32% | SYNE | 4 | Part of a New Year's Eve party song |
| 32% | PEETA | 5 | Part of a love triangle with Katniss and Gale |
| 32% | SPIT | 4 | One way to get rid of a watermelon seed |
| 32% | ABSORB | 6 | To take in and make part of a whole |
| 32% | SAPIOSEXUAL | 11 | One who’s attracted to highly intelligent people (and a new Merriam-Webster entry of 2021) |
| 32% | HAND | 4 | Body part with fingers ... and something one uses to brush off imaginary dust from their shoulder in a gesture of confidence |