| 100% | ZITI | 4 | Tubular pasta ... and a phonetic hint to 17-, 23-, 51- and 60-Across |
| 66% | ZHUZHUP | 7 | Fancify … or a phonetic hint to 17-, 23-, 50- and 62-Across |
| 64% | ESSAYTEST | 9 | Exam answered in a blue book ... and a phonetic hint to 17-, 23- and 44-Across |
| 63% | FORGONE | 7 | Relinquished ... or a hint to 17-, 23-, 51- and 62-Across |
| 61% | LARRYBIRD | 9 | Former N.B.A. star with a hint to 17-, 23-, 52- and 60-Across |
| 60% | AANDW | 5 | Root beer brand, and a phonetic hint to the three vowels of 18-, 23-, 37-, 55- and 60-Across |
| 59% | SPLIT | 5 | With 51-Across, nitpick ... or a hint to 17-, 37- and 60-Across |
| 58% | ESSAYCOLLECTION | 15 | Anthology of personal writings ... and a phonetic hint to what is literally comprised by the answers of 17-, 23-, 46- and 56-Across |
| 58% | ESPYS | 5 | Annual athletic achievement awards, and a phonetic hint to 17-, 27-, 47- and 61-Across |
| 57% | ELLEWOODS | 9 | "Legally Blonde" protagonist... or a phonetic hint to 12 Across and 17 Across |
| 57% | ILOVETHATFORYOU | 15 | "So great, bestie!," and a phonetic hint to 17-, 27-, and 48-Across |
| 56% | ITSMEAGAIN | 10 | "I'm back!" … or a hint to 17-, 24-, 38- and 51- Across |
| 56% | MIDSIZE | 7 | Neither large nor small ... or a phonetic hint to 17-, 30-, 45- and 57-Across |
| 56% | IFIWEREYOU | 10 | Start of some advice … or a phonetic hint to 17-, 24-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 55% | HOLYTRINITY | 11 | Central Christian belief … or a phonetic hint to 17-, 27- and 44-Across |
| 55% | JUSTSAYNO | 9 | Slogan popularized in the 1980s ... and a hint to 17-, 25-, 28-, 48-, 51- and 60-Across |
| 55% | FINALFOUR | 9 | March Madness component that's a phonetic hint to 18-, 23-, 38- and 50-Across |
| 55% | EASYDOESIT | 10 | "Not too hard now" ... or a homophonic hint to 17-, 23-, 35- and 48-Across |
| 55% | STICKEMUP | 9 | "Hands in the air!" ... or a literal hint to 17-, 23-, 37- and 46-Across |
| 54% | SAYAGAIN | 8 | "Huh?"...or a hint to 17-, 23-, 40- and 53-Across |
| 54% | DIAMONDJIMBRADY | 15 | Early railroad tycoon whose nickname is a hint to the starts of 17-, 23-, 51- and 62-Across |
| 54% | SIDEEFFECTS | 11 | Secondary medication results ... or a phonetic hint to 18-, 24-, 40- and 51-Across |
| 54% | HEADSTARTS | 10 | Race advantages ... or a hint to 17-, 23-, 38- and 49-Across |
| 54% | ATTACHE | 7 | Embassy staffer ... or a hint to 17-, 23-, 49- and 59-Across? |
| 54% | THEEND | 6 | With 39-Across, doomsayer's assertion ... or a phonetic hint to 18-, 24-, 51- and 61-Across |
| 54% | ESSAY | 5 | Kind of test ... or a phonetic hint to 17-, 25-, 36-, 47- and 57-Across |
| 54% | PLACECARDS | 10 | Wedding table indicators, or a hint to 17-, 23-, 34- and 44-Across |
| 54% | THROWINTHETOWEL | 15 | Call it quits ... with a hint to 17-, 23-, 48- and 56-Across |
| 53% | AGEDIFFERENCE | 13 | 83, for the creators of this puzzle ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 25-, 51- and 60-Across |
| 53% | BEADYEYES | 9 | Rodentlike features, and a phonetic hint to a segment of 18-, 23-, 36-, and 50-Across |