| 100% | HITPOINTS | 9 | These represent a game character's health |
| 43% | INVENTORY | 9 | Where a gamer can see all their character's gear |
| 42% | SKILLFLOOR | 10 | *Figurative obstacle representing a video gamer's minimum ability to succeed |
| 42% | HEALER | 6 | Video game character type who restores health |
| 42% | PRO | 3 | "He's a ___ at this game" (expert) |
| 41% | ASCIICODE | 9 | String representing a character |
| 40% | LEVELUP | 7 | Improve a video game character's abilities |
| 40% | BUFFED | 6 | Game character improved with a spell or potion |
| 39% | SONIC | 5 | First video game character to have a balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade |
| 39% | MARIO | 5 | Video game character with a large mustache |
| 39% | JRPACMAN | 8 | Arcade game character with a propeller beanie |
| 39% | LUIGI | 5 | Video game character in a green hat |
| 39% | SIM | 3 | Video game character speaking a gibberish language |
| 39% | SIM | 3 | Video game character in a virtual city |
| 39% | HITPOINTS | 9 | Health for characters in games |
| 38% | ENDER | 5 | Sci-fi character who's trained through a series of war games |
| 38% | MUSICALCHAIRS | 13 | Kids' party game … or a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 38% | SCORINGPOINTS | 13 | Goal of most games (and a hint to this puzzle's theme) |
| 38% | HEDGEHOGS | 9 | Video game characters Sonic and Shadow are these |
| 38% | SONIC | 5 | Video game character in a hit 2020 film |
| 38% | WHACAMOLE | 9 | Game represented visually in this puzzle |
| 38% | SIMS | 4 | Characters in a popular PC game |
| 38% | TIC | 3 | With 24- and 45-Across, game represented by this completed puzzle's grid |
| 38% | CHECKMATE | 9 | One ending for a classic board game - another of which (when a player resigns) is represented visually six times in this puzzle |
| 38% | ALPHANUMERICS | 13 | Certain character set ... and a hint to translating this week's final answer |
| 38% | ICEBREAKER | 10 | Get-to-know-you game, and a description of this puzzle's theme |
| 38% | BASEBALLDIAMOND | 15 | Setting for a 20-Across ... as represented by this puzzle's circled letters |
| 37% | MARIO | 5 | Video game character who says "It's-a me" |
| 37% | QBERT | 5 | Classic arcade game character who hopped around a pyramid |
| 37% | SIM | 3 | Video game character with a plumbob above their head |