| 100% | OFFTHEWALL | 10 | Surprising, for a bricklayer? |
| 75% | ANOMALY | 7 | Surprise for a statistician |
| 71% | SWEETDEAL | 9 | Pleasant surprise for a buyer |
| 67% | LOOP | 4 | Thrown for a __; surprised |
| 66% | RUSE | 4 | Setup for a surprise party |
| 66% | LOOP | 4 | Knock for a ___ (really surprise) |
| 66% | THUNDER | 7 | Metaphor for a shocking surprise |
| 66% | HIDES | 5 | Prepares for a surprise party |
| 66% | HIDE | 4 | Prepare for a surprise, perhaps |
| 66% | HIDE | 4 | Prepare for a surprise party? |
| 65% | SECRECY | 7 | Requirement for a successful surprise party |
| 65% | SECRECY | 7 | Prerequisite for a successful surprise party |
| 63% | EROO | 4 | Suffix with "switch" for a surprising swap around |
| 63% | HIDE | 4 | Prep for a surprise party, in a way |
| 63% | HID | 3 | Prepared for a surprise party, in a way |
| 63% | HID | 3 | Prepared for a surprise party’s big moment |
| 63% | MOB | 3 | Flash ___ (group that assembles for a surprise performance) |
| 62% | HID | 3 | Prepared for a surprise party's big moment, say |
| 62% | HID | 3 | Got ready for a surprise party's big moment |
| 61% | THREW | 5 | "That really ___ me for a loop!" ("It was so surprising!") |
| 59% | SHOWER | 6 | Surprise party for a bride-to-be |
| 58% | SPOILEDMILK | 11 | Menu item #4: Something to pour in coffee for a sour surprise |
| 58% | SECRETPLAN | 10 | Strategy for throwing a surprise party, e.g. |
| 55% | RUSE | 4 | Part of the planning for many a surprise birthday party |
| 54% | APRIL | 5 | Psych! You've been ___ Fooled ! Find the answers to 28a, 32a, and 45a for a surprise :) |
| 53% | OHMY | 4 | Cry of surprise that's a catchphrase for George Takei: 2 wds. |
| 51% | OFFSPEEDPITCHES | 15 | Surprises for batters |
| 51% | AWHILE | 6 | For a time |
| 51% | DIRTCHEAP | 9 | For a song |
| 51% | AWHILE | 6 | For a spell |