| 100% | AANDW | 5 | Root beer brand, and a phonetic hint to the three vowels of 18-, 23-, 37-, 55- and 60-Across |
| 48% | DOH | 3 | Cry from Homer … or a phonetic hint to the ends of 18-, 27-, 48- and 62- Across |
| 46% | SAUSAGELINK | 11 | Breakfast side order ... or a hint to the last words of 18-, 23-, 34- and 49-Across |
| 46% | BEADYEYES | 9 | Rodentlike features, and a phonetic hint to a segment of 18-, 23-, 36-, and 50-Across |
| 46% | NOEL | 4 | Seasonal song ... or a phonetic hint to 18-, 23-, 37-, 52- and 59-Across |
| 44% | CHANGELANES | 11 | What you might do to pass on an Interstate ... or a phonetic hint to the starts of 18-, 28- and 50-Across |
| 44% | ESSAYCOLLECTION | 15 | Anthology of personal writings ... and a phonetic hint to what is literally comprised by the answers of 17-, 23-, 46- and 56-Across |
| 43% | MAIL | 4 | With 37-Across, perform perfunctorily … or a hint to the ends of 16-, 25-, 41- and 55-Across |
| 43% | BEACHFRONT | 10 | Property along the ocean ... or a hint to the starts of 18-, 23-, 36- and 47-Across |
| 42% | YOUREFIRED | 10 | Dreaded cry from a boss ... or a hint to the ends of 18-, 23-, 40- and 53-Across |
| 42% | GOTTACATCHEMALL | 15 | Pokémon slogan, and a hint to the ends of 18-, 23-, 50- and 56-Across |
| 42% | ZITI | 4 | Tubular pasta ... and a phonetic hint to 17-, 23-, 51- and 60-Across |
| 42% | STOUT | 5 | Kind of beer ... or a multi-word hint to 18-, 22-, 37-, 51- and 57-Across |
| 42% | DEVIOUS | 7 | Sly, and a phonetic hint to the pattern in the last words of 17-, 24-, 42-, and 58-Across |
| 41% | BLUEONBLUE | 10 | 1963 Bobby Vinton hit ... or a hint to both halves of 18-, 23-, 37- and 54-Across |
| 41% | GETOFFTHEGROUND | 15 | Successfully start a new project, and a hint to the starts of 18-, 23-, 52-, and 58-Across |
| 41% | BEGINNINGOFFALL | 15 | September equinox, and a hint to the starts of 18- & 62-Across and 2-, 3-, 10-, 33-, 37- & 38-Down |
| 40% | TEASEAPART | 10 | Carefully distinguish ... or a phonetic hint to the first and last letters of 17-, 26-, 48-, and 61-Across |
| 40% | EYECONTACT | 10 | Nonverbal communication concern, and a phonetic hint to a feature of 16-, 25-, 37-, and 49-Across |
| 40% | DOUBLEHEADERS | 13 | Baseball rarities nowadays ... or a phonetic hint to the starts of 17-, 26-, 48- and 57-Across |
| 40% | PLAYINGWITHFIRE | 15 | Doing something risky ... or a hint to the last words of 18-, 24-, 49- and 58-Across |
| 40% | FINALFOUR | 9 | March Madness component that's a phonetic hint to 18-, 23-, 38- and 50-Across |
| 40% | ITSTHEPITS | 10 | "Awful!" ... or a hint to the common element of 17-, 23-, 36- and 50-Across |
| 40% | NOTMYFIRSTRODEO | 15 | "Done this before, you know!" ... or a hint to the last words of 17-, 23-, 31-, 40- and 48-Across |
| 40% | SPLITENDS | 9 | Hair challenge … or a hint to the last words of 17-, 25-, 37- and 51-Across |
| 40% | YOUSEE | 6 | "It's like this," and a phonetic hint to the five longest Across answers |
| 40% | HOLDIT | 6 | "Stop right there!" … or a hint to the first words of 17-, 23-, 47- and 59-Across |
| 39% | IFIWEREYOU | 10 | Start of some advice … or a phonetic hint to 17-, 24-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 39% | ISH | 3 | "Give or take" suffix ... that can be added to the end of 18-, 23-, 51- and 60-Across to form a sort of set |
| 39% | FINISHLINE | 10 | End of a race … or a hint to the conversation closers at 18-, 26- and 42-Across |