| 100% | DOWNSIZE | 8 | Reduce a staff, and make seven squares in this puzzle smaller, in a way |
| 50% | IRONCLAD | 8 | Unbreakable, and a hint to making sense of seven answers in this puzzle |
| 49% | TURNUPTHEHEAT | 13 | Increase pressure ... and a hint to what's happening, in three different ways, in this puzzle's circled squares |
| 48% | PARTTIMEJOB | 11 | Many a side hustle, and a description of seven of this puzzle's answers, in a way |
| 48% | BLOCK | 5 | Beachgoer's protection, and a literal hint to four squares in this puzzle |
| 47% | CORNERTHEMARKET | 15 | Monopolize, and a hint to four squares in this puzzle |
| 47% | CONDENSEDMILK | 13 | Ingredient of sweetened Thai tea, and a hint to solving some squares in this puzzle |
| 47% | ICEBOXES | 8 | Fridges' predecessors, and a hint to six squares in this puzzle |
| 47% | TURNINGPOINTS | 13 | Decisive moments, and a hint to four squares in this puzzle |
| 47% | PAYTHEBILLS | 11 | Make ends meet, and a hint to what four answers in this puzzle do |
| 47% | LITTLEITALY | 11 | Neighborhood near SoHo, and a hint to three squares in this puzzle |
| 47% | HIDDEN{TAX} | 11 | Unseen price-hiker, and a clue to three squares in this puzzle |
| 47% | WHATISLOVE | 10 | 1993 dance hit, and a question answered seven times in this puzzle |
| 47% | LOWPH | 5 | Characteristic of acid, and of this puzzle, in a way |
| 46% | CUTOUTTHE | 9 | With 35-Down, deal directly with someone, and a hint to interpreting seven answers in this puzzle |
| 46% | PH/FONETICALLY | 14 | Middle of the quip ... and a hint to eight squares in this puzzle |
| 46% | MICROLOANS | 10 | Money to start small businesses ... or a hint to five squares in this puzzle |
| 46% | FUELUP | 6 | Go from empty to full, and a hint to four squares in this puzzle |
| 45% | HANGTEN | 7 | Surf, in a way, and an appropriate title for this puzzle |
| 45% | CLOSESTHEDEAL | 13 | Has successful negotiations, and, in a way, what this puzzle does |
| 45% | LITTLEHELPHERE | 14 | "I could use some assistance" ... and a hint to the contents of three squares in this puzzle |
| 44% | PIGEONHOLES | 11 | Typecasts, in a way ... or a hint to four squares in this puzzle |
| 44% | OVERLOADED | 10 | Carrying way too much, and a punny description of four Across answers in this puzzle |
| 43% | INSIDETHELINES | 14 | Tidy way to color … and where seven words are hiding in this puzzle? |
| 43% | LIFECHANGING | 12 | Influential in a big way ... and a hint to this puzzle's circles |
| 42% | HARDC | 5 | It starts and ends seven answers in this puzzle |
| 42% | DOINGBACKFLIPS | 14 | Performing gymnastic feats, and a hint to seven words "attracted" to their opposites in this puzzle |
| 42% | RADIO | 5 | It can be two-way ... with a hint to four squares in this puzzle |
| 42% | MICROBREW | 9 | Craft beer . . . and a hint to the contents of four squares in this puzzle |
| 42% | UPSIDEDOWNCAKES | 15 | You'll flip over these desserts (and a hint to seven answers in this puzzle) |