| 100% | BEARDOWN | 8 | Put in extra effort, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 74% | BUZZWORDS | 9 | Snazzy jargon, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 74% | SEVENSEAS | 9 | Global group, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 73% | COKEISIT | 8 | Pop slogan of 1982, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 73% | BEACHFRONT | 10 | Coastal strip of land, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 72% | WHERETHE | 8 | With 43-Across, an exciting place, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 72% | CLOCKFACES | 10 | Their third hands are their second hands, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 71% | OPENINGBELL | 11 | 9:30 a.m. event at the NYSE, and a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 71% | PLUMBERS | 8 | '70s covert White House intelligence group ... and, in a more conventional sense, a hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues |
| 69% | DRESSINGDOWNS | 13 | Severe reprimands, and a hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues |
| 69% | PLAYMATES | 9 | Sandbox sharers ... and a hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues |
| 69% | HEAVYMETAL | 10 | Rock genre ... and a hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues |
| 69% | COMMONSENSE | 11 | Practical judgment ... and a hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues |
| 69% | MOVIETRAILERS | 13 | "Coming attractions" offerings, and a hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues |
| 69% | OILCHANGE | 9 | Jiffy Lube service, and a hint to the start of the answers to starred clues |
| 69% | SWORDPLAY | 9 | Art of fencing, and a hint to the starts of the answers to the starred clues |
| 66% | FINDCLOSURE | 11 | Accept and let go of something … or a hint to the starts of the answers to the starred clues |
| 65% | DOWNSIZES | 9 | Scales back, or a hint to the starts of the starred answers |
| 65% | KEYWORD | 7 | Database search option, and a hint to the ends of the starred answers |
| 65% | SNOWJOBS | 8 | Persuasive efforts using insincere flattery ... and a hint to the last words of the answers to starred clues |
| 64% | THEGAMBLER | 10 | 1978 Kenny Rogers hit, and a hint to the ends of the starred answers |
| 64% | IBELIEVEICANFLY | 15 | R. Kelly hit whose last title word is aptly rhymed with "sky" in the lyrics ... and a hint to the starts of the other four longest puzzle answers |
| 64% | BACKROOM | 8 | Where shady deals may be made, and a hint to the ends of the starred answers |
| 63% | RAINOUT | 7 | Ballpark bummer, and a hint to making sense of the starred answers |
| 63% | THERES | 6 | With 36-Across, "This has strings attached," and a hint to the ends of the starred answers |
| 63% | INNERCITY | 9 | Densely populated area, and a hint to the capitals in the starred answers |
| 63% | FLIESSOUTH | 10 | Migrates for the winter, and a hint to the shift in the starred answers |
| 63% | BUGSOUT | 7 | Leaves in a hurry, or a hint to the cluing of the starred answers |
| 62% | EDGEWISE | 8 | One way to get a word in ... and an aural hint to a feature of the starred clues' answers |
| 62% | BRINGUPTOSPEED | 14 | Loop in, and a hint to the progression found at the ends of the answers to the starred clues |