| 100% | APOLITICAL | 10 | What this year's online DNC and RNC definitely were not |
| 44% | AIGENERATED | 11 | What this puzzle is definitely not, having been created by me, a real and true human being |
| 35% | CROSSWORDESE | 12 | What this puzzle's capitalized clues are, both by definition and pun |
| 34% | THAT | 4 | What this is not |
| 34% | INDOORS | 7 | Not alfresco, and what this puzzle is vis-à-vis its border answers |
| 32% | STAINEDINSTEAD | 14 | What was done to the back deck this time after the fiasco a few years ago with the paint and the raccoon? |
| 32% | INOUTLIST | 9 | Catalog of what's trendy and what's not in the new year |
| 31% | SECRETS | 7 | These must be kept and not told |
| 31% | ANNAT | 5 | A half year's stipend, over and above what is owing for the incumbency |
| 30% | SEEN | 4 | What children should be, and not heard, they say |
| 30% | REALNAMES | 9 | What Voltaire and Mark Twain were not |
| 30% | BIGTENCONFERENCE | 16 | What Minnesota and Michigan are part of, but not Missouri |
| 30% | AIRSIGNS | 8 | Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are these - not Earth |
| 30% | SPILLEDMILK | 11 | Metaphor for something that can't be changed, and what's found five times in this puzzle? |
| 30% | PAT | 3 | ___ Roberts, Senator from Kansas since 1997 who will not seek reelection this year |
| 29% | PAYNOATTENTIONTO | 16 | Film quote (with 69 and 84 Across) that's the key to what's being ignored this puzzle |
| 29% | DST | 3 | What Ariz. and Hawaii are the only two states not to have |
| 29% | BALLDROP | 8 | New Year's Eve tradition in the Big Apple, and what can be found in 3-, 8-, 33-, and 37-Down? |
| 29% | YOUREMISSINGOUT | 15 | "That's a lost opportunity," and what can be said to the writer of four clues in this puzzle |
| 29% | JUSTRANDOMWORDS | 15 | What this puzzle is composed of? (not really) |
| 29% | FILE | 4 | What this puzzle's data is kept in |
| 29% | BILLY | 5 | What's funny? Buh-Ha-Ha-Ha ... This Cartoon Network character who is friends with Grim and Mandy, has a unique laugh |
| 29% | BACKTALK | 8 | Sass, and what can be found in this puzzle's circled letters? |
| 28% | ONEWORD | 7 | What the answer to this clue is not (it's two!) |
| 28% | LONGWINDED | 10 | Verbose, and what the circled letters in this puzzle literally are? |
| 28% | THEME | 5 | What this clue's number is for this puzzle |
| 28% | CROSS | 5 | What this puzzle's across and down answers do |
| 28% | COUNTDOWN | 9 | What might end the year, and a hint to five answers in this puzzle |
| 28% | WELP | 4 | "This is bad and there's nothing we can do about it," online |
| 28% | BACKCOUNTRY | 11 | Rural area, and what can be found in this puzzle's circles |