| 100% | EASYONTHEEYES | 13 | Pleasing to look at ... or a phonetic hint to a two-letter sequence in 16-, 20-, 51- and 56-Across |
| 51% | AREYOUOKAY | 10 | Query of concern … or a phonetic hint to two pairs of letters appearing in 17-, 24-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 49% | NO | 2 | With 38-Across, what a two-letter answer is in a crossword, usually ... or a hint to 20-, 24-, 44- and 51-Across |
| 48% | HUEANDCRY | 9 | Public uproar … or a phonetic hint to the two words in 17-, 28- and 48-Across? |
| 47% | KEEPITBETWEENUS | 15 | "Let this be our little secret" … or a hint to letter sequences hidden in 16-, 32- and 40-Across |
| 43% | STRETCHTHETRUTH | 15 | Exaggerate ... or a hint to five nonconsecutive letters in 20-Across, 36-Across and 7-Down |
| 42% | THEBIGAPPLE | 11 | Empire State Building locale ... or a hint to three letters in 16-, 19-, 52- and 57-Across |
| 42% | HIDDENFIGURES | 13 | 2016 Best Picture nominee ... or a hint to the circled letters in 20-, 25- and 43-Across |
| 42% | MOCKTAIL | 8 | Nonalcoholic mixed drink … or a hint to the synonyms found at the ends of 16-, 24-, 37- and 51-Across |
| 41% | SPIN | 4 | Twirl ... or a cryptic hint to 20-, 36- and 51-Across? |
| 41% | THEEND | 6 | With 39-Across, doomsayer's assertion ... or a phonetic hint to 18-, 24-, 51- and 61-Across |
| 41% | DOTDOTDOT | 9 | Indication of more to come … or a hint to a feature of three consecutive letters in 18-, 20-, 59- and 61-Across |
| 41% | ARTOODETOO | 10 | "Star Wars" droid ... or a phonetic hint to what's found in 17-, 26-, 41- and 52-Across |
| 40% | TEASEAPART | 10 | Carefully distinguish ... or a phonetic hint to the first and last letters of 17-, 26-, 48-, and 61-Across |
| 40% | ELLEWOODS | 9 | "Legally Blonde" protagonist... or a phonetic hint to 12 Across and 17 Across |
| 39% | SPLITENDS | 9 | Hairy issue, or a hint to 20-, 26- and 51-Across |
| 38% | DOH | 3 | Cry from Homer … or a phonetic hint to the ends of 18-, 27-, 48- and 62- Across |
| 38% | BEFOREHAND | 10 | Earlier ... or a hint to the words circled in 17-, 21-, 37- and 51-Across |
| 38% | STRIKETHAT | 10 | Words of correction ... or a hint to 16-, 20-, 36- and 54-Across |
| 38% | AUPAIRS | 7 | Live-in workers ... or a hint to 14, 18, 32, and 51 Across |
| 38% | STILLIRISE | 10 | Classic Maya Angelou poem … or a hint to the answers to the starred clues and the circled letters, in two different ways |
| 38% | SPOUT | 5 | Teapot part ... or a two-word hint to 16-, 25-, 43- and 59-Across |
| 38% | ZIP | 3 | Nothing ... or a hint to what's hidden in 20-, 35- and 52-Across |
| 38% | UPTHEANTE | 9 | Increase what is at stake ... or a hint to answering 20-, 30- and 46-Across |
| 38% | FRENCHTWIST | 11 | Classic hairstyle ... or a hint to the puns in 17-, 25-, 39- and 51-Across |
| 38% | EASYONTHEEYES | 13 | Good-looking ... or a phonetic hint to a feature found five times in this puzzle |
| 37% | ITHADTOBEYOU | 12 | Classic song about a soulmate … or a phonetic hint for repeated pairs of letters in 19-, 27- and 42-Across |
| 37% | MIDDLESEAT | 10 | Cramped spot for a plane passenger ... or a hint to something hidden in 17-, 26-, 34-, 42- and 51-Across |
| 37% | FLOSS | 5 | Dentist's advice … or a hint to 20-Across, 51-Across, 11-Down and 29-Down |
| 37% | ANDY | 4 | "Toy Story" boy ... or, with the circled letters, a hint to 20-, 39- and 53-Across |