| 100% | SAYSAYSAY | 9 | Paul McCartney/Michael Jackson hit ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 24-. 57- and 65-Across |
| 62% | BEARSFRUIT | 10 | Pays off ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 24-, 38-, and 47-Across |
| 62% | PIECEOFCAKE | 11 | Easy-peasy ... or a hint to the start of 17-, 24-, 36- and 51-Across |
| 61% | BREAKABLES | 10 | Extra-care items for movers ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 24-, 28-, 44- and 49-Across |
| 58% | FIVEIRONS | 9 | Fairway clubs ... or a hint to the starts of the answers to 17-, 24- and 45-Across and 10- and 37-Down |
| 57% | COUNTERFEITCOIN | 15 | Slug, or a hint to the starts of 17-, 28- and 46-Across |
| 56% | THEPLOTTHICKENS | 15 | "Now things are getting interesting" ... or a hint to the first words of 17-, 24-, 45- and 57-Across |
| 56% | BUTTHEADS | 9 | Disagree ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 26-, 40- and 49-Across |
| 56% | TASTEMAKERS | 11 | Influential sorts ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 23-, 39- and 50-Across |
| 55% | MONEYMONEYMONEY | 15 | 1976 Abba song ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 23-, 38- and 50-Across |
| 55% | JOBOPENING | 10 | Want ad heading ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 25-, 38- and 49-Across |
| 55% | RENTACARS | 9 | Some vacation expenses ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 23-, 38- and 54-Across |
| 54% | WORDSWITHFRIENDS | 16 | Popular app ... or a hint to the starts of 18-, 24- and 49-Across |
| 54% | THATSMYJAM | 10 | “I love this song!” . . . or a hint to the starts of 17-, 27-, 39-, and 52-Across |
| 53% | LGBTQ | 5 | Modern movement initialism ... or a hint to the starts of 18-, 24-, 40-, 52- and 61-Across |
| 53% | PIDAY | 5 | Mid-March celebration ... or a hint to the starts of 18-, 25-, 44- and 57-Across |
| 53% | DOUBLEHEADERS | 13 | Baseball rarities nowadays ... or a phonetic hint to the starts of 17-, 26-, 48- and 57-Across |
| 53% | ATHLETICCUP | 11 | Protective sportswear ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 24-, 36- and 51-Across |
| 52% | MAKEUP | 6 | Reconcile after a quarrel … or a hint to the starts of 17-, 25-, 52- and 61-Across |
| 52% | FOURINHAND | 10 | Popular necktie knot ... and a hint to the starts of 17-, 24-, 33- and 51-Across |
| 52% | BOOBYTRAPS | 10 | Dangers for the unwary ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 23- and 47-Across? |
| 51% | LAUGHINGOUTLOUD | 15 | Bit of textspeak, unshortened ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 27- and 49-Across |
| 51% | BIGBANG | 7 | Theory of the universe, or a hint to the starts of 17-Across and 7-, 10-, 35- and 40-Down |
| 51% | IAMAROCK | 8 | Simon & Garfunkel hit, and hint to the starts of 17-, 24-, 48- ... and 35-Across, too! |
| 50% | PENCILMEIN | 10 | Tentative "It's a date" ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 26-, and 48-Across |
| 50% | KINDOFBLUE | 10 | Classic Miles Davis album ... or a hint to the start of 17-, 22-, 37- or 45-Across |
| 50% | PLANTMANAGERS | 13 | Factory supervisors ... or a hint to the starts of 20-, 36- and 42-Across |
| 50% | WHATSCRACKING | 13 | Slangy greeting … or a hint to the starts of 20-, 25- and 45-Across |
| 50% | JUSTADDWATER | 12 | Easy preparation instruction ... or a hint to the starts of 20-, 28- and 48-Across |
| 50% | COLDOPEN | 8 | Start of each "S.N.L." episode ... or a hint to the initials of the words in 17-, 24-, 35- and 47-Across |