| 100% | TWENTYFIVEYEARS | 15 | Start of a tribute to the Metropolitan Opera's James Levine |
| 45% | SNAP | 4 | Start of a play to the quarterback |
| 45% | VENI | 4 | Start of a boast to the Senate |
| 44% | DEARSANTA | 9 | Start of a letter to the North Pole |
| 43% | DEARSANTA | 9 | Start of a letter to the North Pole: 2 wds. |
| 42% | BECAUSEPOEWROTE | 15 | Start of a possible answer to the riddle |
| 42% | LINCOLNCENTER | 13 | Home of the Metropolitan Opera ... and a hint to the "honest" guy hiding in 20-, 32- and 45-Across |
| 42% | EASYON | 6 | Start of a billboard catchphrase meaning "close to the highway" |
| 41% | HARD | 4 | "Spy ___," "Weird Al" Yankovic song that's a tribute to the James Bond franchise |
| 41% | AHOUSEDIVIDED | 13 | Start of a Lincoln line, and a hint to the circled letters |
| 40% | ENERO | 5 | Start of the year, to a 63-Across |
| 40% | YOURATTENTIONPLEASE | 19 | Start of an announcement ... or a hint to what's hidden in the answers to the six starred clues |
| 39% | DEARSIRS | 8 | The start of a formal letter to a group of men |
| 39% | YOUVEGOT | 8 | Start of a reassuring phrase ... or the start to 20a, 41a, 55a, or 38d: 2 wds. |
| 39% | SPLIT | 5 | Start of the contest answer, and a nudge to finding the rest |
| 39% | BULLYOFF | 8 | The former start to a game of hockey |
| 38% | DEARBUDS | 8 | Start of a letter to one's besties? |
| 38% | BIRDCAGE | 8 | __ Walk, London street to the S of St James's Park |
| 38% | WHATGOESUP | 10 | Start of a popular saying about gravity ... or a hint to completing the answers to the starred clues |
| 38% | IGNITION | 8 | Part of a vehicle the key is pushed in to start it |
| 38% | BUTWHENYOUENDUP | 15 | Start of a parent's warning to a rambunctious child |
| 38% | SOMETHINGWICKED | 15 | Start of a Ray Bradbury title ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 26-, 49- and 62-Across |
| 37% | SHONDARHIMES | 12 | Grey's Anatomy writer and producer ... and a punny description of the starts to 20-, 28-, and 43-Across |
| 36% | BAA | 3 | Start of a children's rhyme with the line "Have you any wool?" |
| 36% | ANTE | 4 | Contribute to the start of a hand of Texas hold 'em |
| 36% | BEVERLYSILLS | 12 | The members of the Metropolitan Opera were hit with a host of problems, including ___ |
| 36% | COSI | 4 | Start of a Mozart opera title |
| 36% | TEAK | 4 | Plant whose name becomes that of a meat product when an s is added to the beginning |
| 35% | IFAPIGLOSES | 11 | Start of a question to ponder |
| 35% | JUSTWHATWAS | 11 | Start of a point to ponder |