| 100% | BADSPELLS | 9 | Temporary moments of difficulty, and a clue to 10- and 14-Across. |
| 49% | CRISES | 6 | Dire situations, and, if reparsed, a clue to making sense of six pairs of Across answers |
| 48% | BREAKALEG | 9 | Superstitious words of encouragement, and a clue to 17-, 25-, 54- and 64-Across |
| 46% | YOUREOUT | 8 | Call at home, and a clue to the ends of 17-, 24-, 40- and 52-Across |
| 46% | FACEFORWARD | 11 | Look directly ahead, and a clue to the starts of 17-, 24-, 36- and 49-Across |
| 46% | GROWTHAREA | 10 | Prime sector for development, and a clue to the ends of 18-, 24-, 40- and 50-Across |
| 46% | TAINTEDLOVE | 11 | 1981 Top 10 hit for Soft Cell, and a feature of the answers to the starred clues? |
| 46% | WHOLETTHEDOGSOUT | 16 | Hit song from 2000 ... and a hint to 10 symmetrically arranged Across answers |
| 46% | CHOCOLATEDROP | 13 | Kiss alternative ... or a hint to the starts of 3-, 5-, 10-, 14-, 26-, 64- and 68-Down |
| 45% | NOTHINGDOING | 12 | "Forget about it!" ... or a clue to the starts of 20-, 27- and 47-Across |
| 44% | ANIMORPHS | 9 | Book series about people who transform into creatures... or a hint to 11 and 14 Across |
| 44% | MORN | 4 | Poetic time of day … and a clue to the circled square in this row |
| 44% | MOBILEAPP | 9 | Software for your phone, and a clue to four other Across answers |
| 44% | SUGGESTIONBOXES | 15 | Slotted containers, and a clue to four of this puzzle's squares |
| 44% | EXERCISEYOURRIGHT | 17 | Vote, say, and a clue to one side of the asterisked answers |
| 44% | THE | 3 | With 71-Across and each answer to a starred clue, all of it |
| 44% | THEMONTHOFMARCH | 15 | Period described by the clues and answers to 1- and 72-Across (which are the start and end of a word ladder formed by the answers to the 10 asterisked clues) |
| 44% | FORESAW | 7 | Knew in advance, and a hint to parts of 17- and 61-Across and 10- and 35-Down |
| 43% | TRADITIONAL | 11 | With 49- and 69-Across, a hint to the meanings of the bracketed clues |
| 43% | GETBENTOUTOFSHA | 15 | Blow a gasket, and a clue to making sense of some answers in this puzzle |
| 43% | PIGOUT | 6 | Ingurgitate, and a hint to making sense of the starred clues |
| 43% | BEGINNINGOFFALL | 15 | September equinox, and a hint to the starts of 18- & 62-Across and 2-, 3-, 10-, 33-, 37- & 38-Down |
| 42% | GEARSHIFT | 9 | Auto part, and a clue to what's going on in five rows of this puzzle |
| 42% | MIXEDFEELINGS | 13 | What a bittersweet moment may evoke ... and a hint to each set of circled letters |
| 42% | ACIDTEST | 8 | Ordeal ... and a hint to the initials of the answers to starred clues |
| 42% | SIDEBYSIDE | 10 | Together, and a hint to both parts of the answers to starred clues |
| 42% | COLDFRONT | 9 | Harbinger of lower temperatures, and a hint to the answers to starred clues |
| 41% | ALTERNATETAKES | 14 | Different points of view ... and a hint to the ends of the answers to starred clues |
| 41% | SWORDPLAY | 9 | Art of fencing, and a hint to the starts of the answers to the starred clues |
| 41% | DRESSINGDOWNS | 13 | Severe reprimands, and a hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues |