| 100% | THEONLYWAYTOGETRID | 18 | Start of a quote by this puzzle's honoree, whose 120th birthday is August 13, 2019 |
| 39% | NOTHINGISOFTENA | 15 | Start of a quote by Will Durant |
| 36% | NAMETHEONE | 10 | Start of a brainteaser whose answer appears in order, from top to bottom, in this puzzle's circled squares |
| 34% | POOR | 4 | Start of a word ladder whose first and last words are suggested by 36-Across |
| 34% | IREALLYDIDNTSAY | 15 | Start of a quote by 39-Across |
| 34% | THETROUBLEWITH | 14 | Start of a quote by Lily Tomlin |
| 34% | POETRY | 6 | Start of a quote by 50-Across |
| 34% | CONVENTIONALITY | 15 | Start of a quote by 9-Down |
| 34% | LANGUAGEISACITYTO | 17 | Start of a quote by 59-Across |
| 34% | ANYIDIOTCANFACE | 15 | Start of a quote by Anton Chekhov |
| 34% | LIFEISWHAT | 10 | Start of a quote by John Lennon |
| 34% | MOSTROCK | 8 | Start of a quote by 102-Across |
| 34% | ADVERTISINGIS | 13 | Start of a quote by 115-Across |
| 34% | FORGIVEYOUR | 11 | Start of a quote by 56-Across |
| 33% | NOTHINGISSO | 11 | Start of a quote by John Kenneth Galbraith |
| 33% | YOUCANTHOLD | 11 | Start of a quote by Booker T. Washington |
| 33% | YOUCAMPAIGNIN | 13 | Start of a quote by 1-/73-Across |
| 33% | CAPITALISM | 10 | Start of a quote by economist Allan Meltzer |
| 33% | STEPHENCOLBERT | 14 | Author of a satirical book whose title consists of five U.S. state abbreviations (and is hidden in this puzzle) |
| 33% | WHENYOUHITA | 11 | Start of a quote by jazz legend Miles Davis |
| 33% | WORKISTHERUINOF | 15 | Start of a quote by 26- and 32-Down |
| 32% | THETIMEYOUENJOY | 15 | Start of a quote by Bertrand Russell relevant to crossword solvers |
| 32% | ALITTLEMADNESS | 14 | Start of a poem by Emily Dickinson that continues "But God be with the Clown, / Who ponders this tremendous scene" |
| 32% | IFNOMINATED | 11 | Start of a quote by Rep. Mo Udall, 1990, regarding the Presidency |
| 32% | AGOODNAME | 9 | Start of a quote by Lord Jeffery, 18th-century literary critic and judge |
| 32% | ITHINKHAILTO | 12 | Start of a quote by 53-Across, when asked to name his favorite song |
| 31% | THESTARSPANGLEDBANNER | 21 | This puzzle's theme, whose first notes are indicated by shaded squares |
| 31% | THE | 3 | Start of a quote on obstinacy by James Russell Lowell |
| 31% | IFATFIRST | 9 | Start of a quote about creativity by 58-Across/39-Down |
| 31% | DONUT | 5 | Treat whose varieties appear at the starts of four long answers and are represented a dozen times in this puzzle |