| 100% | SALT | 4 | Theme of this puzzle, found in the answers to 21-, 26-, 44- and 52-Across |
| 50% | ANAGRAMS | 8 | What the three possible answers to each of 26-, 36- and 44-Across are, leading to 27 possible solutions to this puzzle |
| 48% | YELLOWBRICKROAD | 15 | Path taken by 37-Across to find the ends of 17-, 26- and 44-Across in [circled letters] |
| 47% | BRITISHISMS | 11 | Words found in the answers to this puzzle's starred clues |
| 47% | THEBRONTES | 10 | Literary trio found in the answers to this puzzle's starred clues |
| 45% | FIRSTMATES | 10 | Title of this puzzle, in reference to 17- and 39-Across and 11- and 26-Down |
| 43% | AHEADOFTHEGAME | 14 | In an advantageous position, or where both halves of the answers to 20-, 26-, and 44-Across can be placed? |
| 43% | LATERALSYMMETRY | 15 | Feature of this puzzle's grid and the answers to the six starred clues |
| 43% | ERR | 3 | Use the answer to any of this puzzle's starred clues in ordinary conversation? |
| 43% | EGG | 3 | Omelet ingredient and the theme of this puzzle, as seen in 28a, 45a, 7d, 11d, and 31d! |
| 42% | PALS | 4 | Friends that surround the answers to 21-, 26-, 43- and 50-Across |
| 41% | SLANT | 5 | Incline (and a hint to the location in this completed puzzle of the first line of 9- & 59-Across) |
| 41% | PUNNEDIT | 8 | What the puzzlemaker did to the name in each of this puzzle's theme answers? |
| 41% | BEDHEAD | 7 | Messy hair in the morning, and a hint to the tops of the theme answers |
| 41% | CRONE | 5 | Witch, and the combination of letters added to this puzzle's theme answers |
| 41% | HIDINGOUT | 9 | Theme of this puzzle, seen seven times in the grid |
| 40% | THINKQUICKLY | 12 | To understand this puzzle's theme, read the ends of the answers to the starred clues and ... |
| 40% | TOPHATS | 7 | Partners of tails ... and what's found in the answers to starred clues |
| 39% | BILATERAL | 9 | With 46-Across, feature of the answers to this puzzle's six starred clues, in a sense |
| 39% | FASHIONDESIGNER | 15 | One can be found in each of the answers to 17-, 24-, 54- and 63-Across |
| 39% | FLYINGSTART | 11 | What the answers to 17-, 26-, 37-, 39- and 52-Across are all off to? |
| 39% | BIRDS | 5 | Things hidden in the answers to this puzzle's six starred clues |
| 39% | TYPE | 4 | Synonym for "class" found in the middle of 21- and 54-Across and 3- and 35-Down |
| 39% | DOUBLEV | 7 | W.W. II-era campaign that helped usher in the civil rights movement … and a hint to four answers in this puzzle |
| 38% | ELIZA | 5 | With 78-Down, character commemorated in the answers to this puzzle's starred clues |
| 38% | CANISTEALYOUFORASECOND | 22 | Request for one-on-one time in the "Bachelor" TV franchise … or a phonetic hint to four pairs of answers in this puzzle |
| 38% | MYTHS | 5 | The answers to the starred clues in this puzzle … or are they? |
| 38% | RELIGIOUSLEADERS | 16 | Keepers of the faith, and what can be found in the answers to the starred clues |
| 38% | COUNTTHESQUARES | 15 | How to find out what "this many" is in 17-, 21-, 52- and 57-Across |
| 37% | AREYOUFORREAL | 13 | "Seriously?!" … or what one might ask of the answers to starred clues in this puzzle? |