| 100% | IAM | 3 | Song words before "a rock" and "the walrus" |
| 65% | WAVE | 4 | Ocean-related word before and after "on" for the title of a Pat Green song, mentioning a surfer's ride |
| 61% | RAISEEMUP | 9 | Words before a toast, and what you can do to the ends of the starred answers |
| 60% | WEARE | 5 | Song words before "the World" and "the Champions" |
| 59% | NOR | 3 | Word before "happiness," "majesty" and "fame" at the start of a Shelley poem |
| 56% | SHES | 4 | Song title word before "Like the Wind" or "Got a Way" |
| 55% | HUEY | 4 | ___ Lewis and the News, a pop rock band who sang the hit song "The Power of Love" |
| 55% | YOUNG | 5 | Word before "Sheldon" and "Rock" in the names of sitcoms |
| 54% | EMO | 3 | "Such a strange and meaningless word," per the rock musician Davey Havok |
| 54% | HEY | 3 | "___, Soul Sister," 2009 song by rock band Train, and maybe the start of a conversation |
| 54% | COLD | 4 | ___ open, term and scene that is shown before the title song of a TV show |
| 52% | STATE | 5 | Word before and after "of the" |
| 52% | ONE | 3 | Word before a lot of shouting and kissing, this Friday night |
| 51% | SEAOF | 5 | Words before "Love" on screen and in song |
| 51% | TEACHME | 7 | Words before "Tonight" in a 1954 song title |
| 51% | IFEEL | 5 | Words before "Fine" and "Pretty" in song |
| 51% | SIR | 3 | Word before and after "yes," in the Army |
| 51% | SIR | 3 | Word before and after yes, in the military |
| 51% | BEST | 4 | Word before Actor and Actress at the Oscars |
| 50% | EATNO | 5 | Words before fat and lean, in a nursery rhyme |
| 50% | TRYTO | 5 | Words before "Remember" and "Forget," in song titles |
| 50% | TRYTO | 5 | Words before "Remember" and "Forget" in song titles |
| 50% | HALPH/F | 7 | Word before and after an ampersand, in the grocery |
| 50% | MANO | 4 | Word before and after a, in a fighting style |
| 50% | ASHES | 5 | Word before and after "to," in a religious phrase |
| 50% | SPY | 3 | Word before and after "vs." in a Mad feature |
| 50% | STOP | 4 | Song word before "Wait a minute / Fill my cup, put some liquor in it" |
| 49% | IDONOT | 6 | Words before "Hook Up" in a Kelly Clarkson song title |
| 49% | THATSMYCUE | 10 | Words before entering ... and a hint to five puzzle answers |
| 49% | TOBE | 4 | Words before and after "or not" in a Shakespeare quote |