| 100% | AREYOUOKAY | 10 | Query of concern … or a phonetic hint to two pairs of letters appearing in 17-, 24-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 58% | IFIWEREYOU | 10 | Start of some advice … or a phonetic hint to 17-, 24-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 55% | TEASEAPART | 10 | Carefully distinguish ... or a phonetic hint to the first and last letters of 17-, 26-, 48-, and 61-Across |
| 53% | HUEANDCRY | 9 | Public uproar … or a phonetic hint to the two words in 17-, 28- and 48-Across? |
| 49% | DOUBLEHEADERS | 13 | Baseball rarities nowadays ... or a phonetic hint to the starts of 17-, 26-, 48- and 57-Across |
| 47% | ITHADTOBEYOU | 12 | Classic song about a soulmate … or a phonetic hint for repeated pairs of letters in 19-, 27- and 42-Across |
| 47% | DOH | 3 | Cry from Homer … or a phonetic hint to the ends of 18-, 27-, 48- and 62- Across |
| 46% | DEVIOUS | 7 | Sly, and a phonetic hint to the pattern in the last words of 17-, 24-, 42-, and 58-Across |
| 45% | EASYONTHEEYES | 13 | Pleasing to look at ... or a phonetic hint to a two-letter sequence in 16-, 20-, 51- and 56-Across |
| 44% | ESSAY | 5 | Kind of test ... or a phonetic hint to 17-, 25-, 36-, 47- and 57-Across |
| 43% | EYECONTACT | 10 | Nonverbal communication concern, and a phonetic hint to a feature of 16-, 25-, 37-, and 49-Across |
| 43% | FIVEIRONS | 9 | Fairway clubs ... or a hint to the starts of the answers to 17-, 24- and 45-Across and 10- and 37-Down |
| 43% | ARTOODETOO | 10 | "Star Wars" droid ... or a phonetic hint to what's found in 17-, 26-, 41- and 52-Across |
| 43% | 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 |
| 42% | STICKEMUP | 9 | "Hands in the air!" ... or a literal hint to 17-, 23-, 37- and 46-Across |
| 42% | IFIWEREYOU | 10 | Lead-in to a bit of advice, and a hint as to how 17-, 24-, 37- and 45-Across might arise |
| 42% | ELLEWOODS | 9 | "Legally Blonde" protagonist... or a phonetic hint to 12 Across and 17 Across |
| 42% | THEEIGHTIES | 11 | When Pac-Man and Rubik's Cube were popular ... or a phonetic hint for 17-, 23-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 42% | BODYDOUBLE | 10 | Actor's stand-in, or a hint to what can precede both parts of 17-, 25-, 35-, and 48-Across |
| 41% | CANISTEALYOUFORASECOND | 22 | Request for one-on-one time in the "Bachelor" TV franchise … or a phonetic hint to four pairs of answers in this puzzle |
| 41% | MOCKTAIL | 8 | Nonalcoholic mixed drink … or a hint to the synonyms found at the ends of 16-, 24-, 37- and 51-Across |
| 41% | ITSABREEZE | 10 | "Piece of cake!" (and a hint to the ends of 17-, 24-, 37- and 49-Across) |
| 41% | TOUCHBASE | 9 | Stay in contact, and a hint to the ends of 17-, 24-, 39- and 50-Across |
| 41% | SPLITENDS | 9 | Hair challenge … or a hint to the last words of 17-, 25-, 37- and 51-Across |
| 40% | ATHLETICCUP | 11 | Protective sportswear ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 24-, 36- and 51-Across |
| 40% | PIECEOFCAKE | 11 | Easy-peasy ... or a hint to the start of 17-, 24-, 36- and 51-Across |
| 40% | BEARSFRUIT | 10 | Pays off ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 24-, 38-, and 47-Across |
| 40% | REARENDED | 9 | Bumped from behind, or a hint to 17-, 25-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 40% | WEREALLSET | 10 | "Ready to go!" ... or a description of 17-, 25-, 37- and 48-Across? |
| 40% | SWITCHPOSITIONS | 15 | Trade places ... or a hint to parts of 17-, 27- and 48-Across |