| 100% | FRAY | 4 | Start to wear away at the edges, like a cord |
| 88% | FRAY | 4 | Start to wear away at the edges, like a cheap fabric |
| 43% | FRAYING | 7 | Wearing away, hanging threads at a garment's edge |
| 42% | OBESE | 5 | Like a "Biggest Loser" contestant at the start of the season |
| 41% | FRAY | 4 | Wear away the edge of a cloth by rubbing |
| 41% | UMBILICAL | 9 | Like the cord connecting a baby to its mother |
| 39% | FIRSTSTRING | 11 | Like the starting team, and a hint to the answers to starred clues |
| 39% | FRAY | 4 | Wear out at the edges |
| 38% | TEED | 4 | Like golf balls at the start of a hole, usually |
| 38% | NEXT | 4 | What one at the head of a line likes to hear |
| 37% | EXFOLIATE | 9 | To wear away the top layer of skin |
| 37% | FRAY | 4 | Wear at the edges |
| 37% | FRAYED | 6 | Worn at the edges |
| 37% | FRAYS | 5 | Wears at the edges |
| 37% | PH/FRAYED | 9 | Worn at the edges |
| 37% | STUBBED | 7 | Like an injured toe, often as a result of wandering to the washroom at three in the morning |
| 37% | DEADEND | 7 | Like jobs with no future ... and what the start of each answer to a starred clue can be? |
| 37% | SERRATE | 7 | Notched on the edge, like a saw |
| 37% | ERODE | 5 | Wear away, like a coastline |
| 36% | ITSGROWINGONME | 14 | "I'm starting to like this" ... or a hint to the starts of 16-, 24-, 47- and 58-Across, in order |
| 36% | NUB | 3 | Worn to the ___ (like a very short pencil) |
| 36% | FRAY | 4 | Start to deteriorate, as a cord |
| 36% | ERODE | 5 | Wear away due to the tides |
| 36% | ERODE | 5 | Wear away slowly, like a seacoast |
| 36% | ERODE | 5 | Wear away naturally, like a coastline |
| 36% | AGOG | 4 | Like a kid at the circus |
| 36% | ASTERN | 6 | Like a bird at the back |
| 36% | RELAXING | 8 | Like a day at the spa |
| 36% | FRAY | 4 | Show sign of wear and tear at the edge of a fabric, say |
| 36% | DAYDRESS | 8 | Frock to be worn at the races or a tea party |