| 100% | CLUE | 4 | Something that gives a hint of the answer (just like this one) |
| 43% | 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 |
| 42% | PARTANIMAL | 10 | Like a centaur or faun ... or a hint to the answer to each of this puzzle's starred clues |
| 42% | BACKORDERED | 11 | Like goods that are temporarily out of stock ... or a hint, alphabetically, to the answers to the starred clues |
| 41% | YOUSEE | 6 | "It's like this," and a phonetic hint to the five longest Across answers |
| 40% | HAIKUS | 6 | Japanese poems / like the one used in this clue / a beautiful hint |
| 40% | EAR | 3 | A mantis is the only animal known to have just one of these |
| 39% | CORNERBARS | 10 | Local watering holes, and a hint to a word that can follow eight of this puzzle's peripheral answers |
| 39% | SEVENCS | 7 | Punny title for this puzzle that's a hint to the answers to the starred clues |
| 39% | ALLYOUNEEDISLOVE | 16 | Beatles hit that's a hint to both parts of the answer to each starred clue |
| 38% | WEAPON | 6 | The "what" of a Clue accusation, whose identity is hinted at by the three circled answers in this quadrant |
| 38% | ROOM | 4 | The "where" of a Clue accusation, whose identity is hinted at by the three circled answers in this quadrant |
| 38% | SUSPECT | 7 | The "who" of a Clue accusation, whose identity is hinted at by the three circled answers in this quadrant |
| 38% | CLOCK | 5 | Instrument that hints at the missing parts of certain answers in this puzzle |
| 38% | LITTLEOMEN | 10 | Book that gives a brief glimpse of the future? |
| 37% | FLAVOR | 6 | Distinct taste of something, like the smoky one you'd get by using coffee grounds as a meat rub |
| 37% | THROW | 5 | Light bed cover ... and a verb that goes with the first parts of this puzzle's four longest answers |
| 37% | DRYEYE | 6 | It's said that there is not a single one of these "in the house" during a sad movie |
| 37% | H&RBLOCK | 8 | Subject of the Final Jeopardy! question that knocked out Ken Jennings after a record 74 wins ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 37% | HAL | 3 | Name that's one of the halves of a word in this clue |
| 37% | JUMP | 4 | Word that can precede each set of circled letters, forming a literal hint for entering certain answers in this puzzle |
| 37% | DANK | 4 | Making a comeback is this "wet and unpleasant" slangy term for something of high quality that originated in the '80s |
| 37% | YES | 3 | One of the answers in a 20 Questions game |
| 37% | SALTSHAKER | 10 | One of a pair at the dinner table ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 37% | HES | 3 | "___ Just Not That into You," a 2009 romantic comedy featuring an ensemble cast with the likes of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Aniston |
| 37% | ASHRAM | 6 | In the Mahabharata, it's stated that a youthful Krishna was sent to see Sand?pan? Muni at one of these |
| 37% | MAP | 3 | Guide for travelers that gives a layout of the area |
| 37% | DAM | 3 | Something that stops the flow of water in a stream |
| 36% | ITSALLNOISE | 11 | "That's just talk, talk, talk," or a hint to the ends of the starred answers |
| 36% | ACROSS | 6 | Like the direction of this answer |