| 100% | USAGE | 5 | The way in which words are spoken or written |
| 58% | PHRASING | 8 | The way in which an idea is expressed in words |
| 51% | STYLING | 7 | The way in which something is designed |
| 49% | USAGE | 5 | Way in which a word is employed |
| 47% | USAGE | 5 | The way words are employed in sentences |
| 45% | SHEE | 4 | Fairy-like Irish being that lives underground or in an alternate universe and which is sometimes preceded by the word "ban" |
| 45% | BRIEFHISTORYOF | 14 | "A ___Time," 1988 book on cosmology by Stephen Hawking which is written in a non-technical way for the masses: 3 wds. |
| 45% | LAO | 3 | Language in which the majority of words are monosyllabic |
| 44% | ORALEXAMS | 9 | Tests in which the questions and answers are spoken (2 wds.) |
| 43% | CZECH | 5 | Language in which "k" and "v" are the words for "to" and "in" |
| 43% | CHIASMUS | 8 | Figure of speech in which words are reversed for effect, like "Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you" |
| 42% | BURSTINGATTHESEAMS | 18 | Overflowing, or what the words in the circles are? |
| 42% | SHANE | 5 | 1953 film or the last word spoken in it |
| 42% | LIFESTYLE | 9 | The way in which a person lives |
| 42% | WORDS | 5 | May be spoken or written |
| 42% | TESTIMONY | 9 | A written or spoken statement in the court of law |
| 42% | FIRESAFETY | 10 | Subject in which the first words of 17-, 29- and 46-Across are sage advice |
| 42% | LANGUAGE | 8 | Spoken or written words |
| 41% | VERBOSE | 7 | Denoting the style in which one might consider this clue to be written |
| 41% | LIBRETTO | 8 | Words that are sung or spoken in an opera |
| 41% | OBSTRUCT | 8 | Be or get in the way of |
| 41% | UNDEROVER | 9 | Dice game in which players bet on whether the outcome will be below or above seven |
| 40% | BLUE | 4 | Navy, e.g., or what the starred answers can be, in various ways |
| 40% | SOILTEST | 8 | Way to tell which nutrients are in the garden |
| 40% | HOW | 3 | Question word or the way that something is done |
| 40% | OUTOFORDER | 10 | Like a nonfunctioning vending machine, or what the circled letters are, in two ways |
| 40% | RUM | 3 | Mai-Tai or Bacardi ingredient which is also the alcohol used in Pina Colada |
| 40% | BOGGLE | 6 | Game in which words are formed by connecting letter cubes |
| 39% | AFTERLIFE | 9 | The great beyond ... or where each word in 17-, 24-, 35- and 45-Across might be found? |
| 39% | NOPE | 4 | Song Jeff Tweedy of "Wilco" wrote which was released on the album "Schmilco" in 2016 |