| 100% | LONGEYE | 7 | Stretched center of a hurricane? (start of 39-Down) |
| 58% | EYE | 3 | Center of a hurricane |
| 56% | EYE | 3 | Calm center of a hurricane |
| 50% | IREALLYDIDNTSAY | 15 | Start of a quote by 39-Across |
| 50% | ODEON | 5 | Start of a poem about a 5 Down |
| 50% | TOE | 3 | End of a certain 39 Down |
| 49% | SPEAKUP | 7 | "Louder!"...and a clue to the starts of four Down answers |
| 48% | BEETHOVEN | 9 | Start of a message on a Lincoln Center T-shirt |
| 48% | IFATFIRST | 9 | Start of a quote about creativity by 58-Across/39-Down |
| 48% | IJUSTPUTMYFEET | 14 | Start of a 58 Across/25 Down quote, describing his craft |
| 47% | NOWI | 4 | The start of a prayer, "___ lay me down...": 2 wds. |
| 46% | GOODNEWSBADNEWS | 15 | Start of a mixed message, as illustrated by 17-, 23-, 39- and 54-Across |
| 45% | CLEAN | 5 | With 1-Down, symbol of a fresh start |
| 45% | HTTP | 4 | Start of a 52-Down address |
| 45% | AMEDIUMSOCALLED | 15 | Start of a definition of television, by 9-Down |
| 45% | WORKISTHERUINOF | 15 | Start of a quote by 26- and 32-Down |
| 45% | MYOUTPUTISDOWNBUT | 17 | Start of a comment by 3- and 126-Down |
| 44% | ADOORSWHATADOG | 14 | Start of a quip by 52-Down |
| 44% | CONVENTIONALITY | 15 | Start of a quote by 9-Down |
| 44% | TOLOVEONESELFIS | 15 | Start of a quotation by 9-Down |
| 44% | PRIDE | 5 | Start of a title by 44-Down |
| 44% | IDIDNTRECOGNIZE | 15 | Start of a comment that 7 Down/18 Across claimed to have heard ''a million times'' |
| 44% | SNAP | 4 | What a center will do to a football at the start of a play |
| 44% | PAPERPRODUCTS | 13 | Print material, and a hint to the starts of 19-, 34- and 39-Across |
| 44% | EAR | 3 | Dog ___, folded down corner of a book page that starts with a canine animal |
| 44% | MTG | 3 | Subj. of a 39-Down reminder |
| 44% | TASTEMAKERS | 11 | Influential sorts ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 23-, 39- and 50-Across |
| 44% | FALLINGLEAVES | 13 | Autumn occurrence, and a hint to the start of the other four longest Down answers |
| 43% | EYES | 4 | Centers of swirling hurricanes |
| 43% | DEB | 3 | Center of a ball? |