| 100% | REHEARSAL | 9 | Practice of a performance before the real thing |
| 70% | DRYRUN | 6 | Rehearsal of a performance before the real one |
| 63% | TRIALRUN | 8 | A practice before the real thing, an experiment |
| 42% | MLXV | 4 | A year before the Battle of Hastings |
| 42% | PREGAP | 6 | Part of a CD before the first track |
| 42% | SETUP | 5 | Part of a joke before the punch line |
| 41% | PAST | 4 | A thing of the ___ |
| 41% | RELIC | 5 | A thing of the past |
| 41% | OVER | 4 | A thing of the past |
| 41% | OBIT | 4 | A thing of the passed? |
| 40% | ATTN | 4 | Abbr. before the name of a memo recipient |
| 40% | FINALPHASE | 10 | Part of a project just before the end |
| 40% | SEMI | 4 | One leg of a competition before the final |
| 40% | REHEARSE | 8 | Practice before a performance |
| 40% | PAROLE | 6 | It may come before the end of a sentence |
| 40% | TRAILER | 7 | Teaser of a movie shown before the main event |
| 40% | REV | 3 | Shortened title used before the name of a pastor |
| 39% | DRINKLIKEA | 10 | Before the bottom half of a 7-Down, tipple and then some |
| 39% | ATTN | 4 | Abbreviation before the names of the recipients of a memo |
| 39% | RAY | 3 | Musical biopic featuring a performance of "Hit the Road Jack" |
| 39% | ATTN | 4 | Abbreviation before the name of a business letter's recipient |
| 39% | TAXES | 5 | Subject of a major bill before the U.S. Senate |
| 39% | SHOWTIME | 8 | The start of a theatrical performance |
| 39% | LAPSES | 6 | Becomes a thing of the past |
| 39% | RAY | 3 | 2004 musical biopic featuring a performance of "Hit the Road Jack" |
| 39% | EXAM | 4 | What often takes place right before the end of a semester |
| 39% | REHEARSE | 8 | Practice a play or performance ahead of its debut |
| 39% | REALISM | 7 | The practice of accepting a situation as it is |
| 39% | LOLL | 4 | Practice the fine art of being a couch potato |
| 39% | BUCKET | 6 | A __ list: wishlist of things to do before death |