| 100% | UPSANDDOWNS | 11 | Vicissitudes of life, as for the inventor named in the circled squares? |
| 48% | ASHOWABOUTNOTHING | 17 | Description of the TV series spelled out in the circled squares (as well as this puzzle's theme) |
| 46% | ADRAMACRITICIS | 14 | Part 1 of a quip by the writer named in the circled letters |
| 46% | NONKOSHER | 9 | Like the four things named in the circled squares |
| 46% | FIVEGOLDENRINGS | 15 | One set of gifts in "The 12 Days of Christmas" ... as suggested by the circled squares? |
| 45% | BYHOOKORBYCROOK | 15 | Whatever it takes ... as hinted at in the arrangements of black squares around the circled letters |
| 44% | TINYTIM | 7 | Speaker of the words in the circled squares, expressed literally |
| 43% | TEN | 3 | Number of mispelled words in this puzzle's clues (oh, by the way, watch out for those tricky circled squares!) |
| 43% | SNOWWHITE | 9 | Answer provided by the magic object named twice in the circled squares |
| 43% | WOLFE | 5 | Author of the 1968 work named in the circled letters (reading clockwise) |
| 43% | PREY | 4 | Most every animal in the circle of life |
| 42% | TORRS | 5 | Pressure units named for the inventor of the barometer |
| 42% | ALVA | 4 | Middle name in the National Inventors Hall of Fame |
| 42% | HEDY | 4 | Film star name in the Inventors Hall of Fame |
| 42% | ALOHASHIRT | 10 | Article of tropical apparel ... whose start is a state nickname for the state indicated by the circled squares |
| 42% | HERON | 5 | — Tower, popular name for the tallest building in the City of London financial district |
| 42% | APT | 3 | Like the name Bell for the inventor of the telephone |
| 42% | ABC | 3 | Kind of order for the circled letters in this puzzle |
| 42% | SHOWMETHEMONEY | 14 | Catchphrase shouted in "Jerry Maguire" ... whose start is a state nickname for the state indicated by the circled squares |
| 42% | JOHNNYENGLISH | 13 | A comically incompetent spy for "MI7," created as a parody of 50a, and portrayed by Rowan Atkinson in the films by the same name: 2 wds. |
| 42% | SOULCYCLE | 9 | Spin class company ... and what can describe the arrangement of letters in the circled squares? |
| 41% | SMITHERS | 8 | The name of the butler who works for the Lodge family in "Archie" comics |
| 41% | PEACH | 5 | Color named for the interior flesh of the fruit used in cobbler |
| 41% | DRUNKEN | 7 | Descriptor for noodles and chicken, in the names of dishes |
| 40% | NIT | 3 | Alternate name for the unit of luminance, candela per square meter |
| 40% | NONET | 5 | Name for one of the 3x3 regions in a Sudoku grid |
| 40% | STOP | 4 | "___! In the Name of Love" (hit song for the Supremes) |
| 40% | NESSIE | 6 | Cryptid named for the Scottish loch she lives in |
| 40% | MARCHMADNESS | 12 | Annual college basketball tourney, rounds of which can be found in the circled squares at their appropriate numbers |
| 40% | MORN | 4 | Poetic time of day … and a clue to the circled square in this row |