| 100% | HEADPHONES | 10 | They bring music to one's ears ... or a hint to 17-, 21-, 33-, 45- and 54-Across |
| 48% | FIRSTSTATE | 10 | Delaware's nickname, or a hint to 17-, 23-, and 54-Across |
| 47% | HORSEPLAY | 9 | Roughhousing ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 21-, 26-, 33-, 40-, 43-, 47- and 56-Across |
| 47% | THEBLUES | 8 | Something to sing ... or a hint to 17-, 23-, 31-, 40- and 45-Across's starts |
| 45% | BYEBYEBYE | 9 | 2000 'N Sync hit ... or a hint to 17-, 26- and 45-Across |
| 45% | PARTYFOUL | 9 | Knocking over someone's drink, e.g. … or, homophonically, a hint to 17-, 27-, 39- and 54-Across |
| 44% | YES | 3 | "That's correct" ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 28-, 45- and 59-Across, in different languages |
| 44% | ITSMEAGAIN | 10 | "I'm back!" … or a hint to 17-, 24-, 38- and 51- Across |
| 44% | LETSHAVESOMEFUN | 15 | "It's party time!" ... or a hint to 17-, 24- and 40-Across |
| 44% | SIGNFORDELIVERY | 15 | Accept a package formally ... or a hint to 17-, 29-, 45- and 62-Across? |
| 44% | FIGUREHEAD | 10 | Carved decoration on a ship's prow ... or a hint to the first word of 17-, 25-, 37- and 45-Across |
| 44% | CHIPSIN | 7 | Contributes to a group gift … or a hint to 17-, 22-, 48- and 54-Across |
| 44% | QRCODE | 6 | Scannable black-and-white square … or a hint to 17-, 30-, 45- and 57-Across |
| 43% | FOLDHERE | 8 | Instructions next to a perforated line ... or a hint to 17-, 29-, 45- and 61-Across |
| 43% | BEERME | 6 | "I'll have a cold one, please" ... or a hint to 17-, 26-, 43- and 57-Across |
| 43% | STARTINGQB | 10 | Brady or Mahomes, and a hint to 17-, 31-, 37- and 45-Across |
| 43% | NOGO | 4 | Canceled ... or a hint to answering 17-, 27-, 34-, 45- and 57-Across |
| 43% | CROPCIRCLES | 11 | Mysterious phenomena … or a clue to solving 17-, 24-, 33- and 45-Across |
| 43% | SNL | 3 | TV staple for over 30 years (and a hint to 17-, 21-, 32-, 41-, 54- and 61-Across) |
| 42% | LATEBLOOMER | 11 | One who catches up eventually ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 30- and 46-Across |
| 42% | BEFOREHAND | 10 | Earlier ... or a hint to the words circled in 17-, 21-, 37- and 51-Across |
| 42% | ILLGOFIRST | 10 | Trailblazer's declaration ... or a hint to 17-, 19-, 34- and 51-Across |
| 42% | RENTACARS | 9 | Some vacation expenses ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 23-, 38- and 54-Across |
| 42% | BRINGEMON | 9 | Fighter's dare … or a hint to answering 17-, 23-, 34- and 48-Across |
| 42% | NOWAY | 5 | "Forget it!" ... or a hint to 17-, 30-, 46- and 62-Across |
| 42% | TRIMMINGTHETREE | 15 | Yuletide undertaking, and a hint to the starts of 17-, 21-, 54- and 63-Across |
| 42% | MIDSIZE | 7 | Neither large nor small ... or a phonetic hint to 17-, 30-, 45- and 57-Across |
| 41% | CARDHOLDER | 10 | One with credit ... or a literal hint to 17-, 27- and 44-Across |
| 41% | FINISH | 6 | With 44-Down, go out with a bang ... or a hint to 16-, 21-, 29-, 34-, 46- and 54-Across |
| 41% | THEPLOTTHICKENS | 15 | "Now things are getting interesting" ... or a hint to the first words of 17-, 24-, 45- and 57-Across |