| 100% | EASY | 4 | The Big ___ (New Orleans nickname) |
| 89% | EASY | 4 | The Big ___ (nickname for New Orleans) |
| 89% | EASY | 4 | The Big ___, nickname for New Orleans, Louisiana that is inspired by its laid-back lifestyle |
| 77% | EASY | 4 | The Big ___ (New Orleans) |
| 76% | BIGEASY | 7 | New Orleans nickname, with "the" |
| 76% | BIGEASY | 7 | The __. New Orleans' nickname |
| 74% | BIGEASY | 7 | New Orleans nickname, with "the" (2 wds.) |
| 72% | APPLE | 5 | The Big ___ (New York City nickname) |
| 71% | APPLE | 5 | The Big ___ (New York City's nickname) |
| 70% | APPLE | 5 | The Big ___, nickname for New York City, New York that was popularized in the '20s |
| 69% | BIGEASY | 7 | New Orleans nickname |
| 66% | BIGEASY | 7 | New Orleans' laidback nickname |
| 66% | NOLA | 4 | New Orleans' acronym nickname |
| 63% | NOLA | 4 | The Big Easy nickname |
| 61% | NOLA | 4 | The Big Easy, by another nickname |
| 61% | TRADE | 5 | Big news on the sports page |
| 61% | BIGEASY | 7 | Nickname for New Orleans, celebrated by the answers to the starred clues and suggested by the shaded squares |
| 60% | MOONWALK | 8 | New Orleans wooden promenade along the Mississippi |
| 60% | UNIT | 4 | The Big ___ (pitcher Randy Johnson's nickname) |
| 59% | SAINT | 5 | New Orleans ___ (NFLer who plays in the Superdome) |
| 59% | IPO | 3 | Big news to share in the biz world? |
| 58% | PELICANS | 8 | New Orleans NBA team that's "for the birds" |
| 58% | ATESTS | 6 | Big news in the 40's and 50's |
| 58% | JAZZFUNERAL | 11 | Traditional New Orleans celebration of the departed |
| 57% | MASTHEAD | 8 | Big names in the news |
| 57% | MARDIGRAS | 9 | New Orleans celebration on the day before Lent: 2 wds. |
| 57% | TULANE | 6 | New Orleans university whose team name is the Green Wave |
| 56% | CNN | 3 | One of the biggest American news channels: Abbr. |
| 56% | BIGEASY | 7 | Nickname for New Orleans |
| 56% | NOLA | 4 | Nickname for New Orleans |