| 100% | THEEIGHTIES | 11 | When Pac-Man and Rubik's Cube were popular ... or a phonetic hint for 17-, 23-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 49% | IFIWEREYOU | 10 | Start of some advice … or a phonetic hint to 17-, 24-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 44% | AREYOUOKAY | 10 | Query of concern … or a phonetic hint to two pairs of letters appearing in 17-, 24-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 44% | BRINGEMON | 9 | Fighter's dare … or a hint to answering 17-, 23-, 34- and 48-Across |
| 44% | ZHUZHUP | 7 | Fancify … or a phonetic hint to 17-, 23-, 50- and 62-Across |
| 43% | PUTONASHOW | 10 | Go over the top, or a hint to 17-, 23-, 37-, and 48-Across |
| 42% | EASYDOESIT | 10 | "Not too hard now" ... or a homophonic hint to 17-, 23-, 35- and 48-Across |
| 42% | STICKEMUP | 9 | "Hands in the air!" ... or a literal hint to 17-, 23-, 37- and 46-Across |
| 41% | NOEL | 4 | Seasonal song ... or a phonetic hint to 18-, 23-, 37-, 52- and 59-Across |
| 40% | MIDDLEC | 7 | Starting point for a piano student, or a phonetic hint to 17-, 18-, 22-, 33-, 41-, 49- and 55-Across |
| 39% | HUEANDCRY | 9 | Public uproar … or a phonetic hint to the two words in 17-, 28- and 48-Across? |
| 39% | ISEE | 4 | "Aha!" ... or a hint to 18-, 23-, 37-, 48- and 58-Across |
| 39% | DOUBLEHEADERS | 13 | Baseball rarities nowadays ... or a phonetic hint to the starts of 17-, 26-, 48- and 57-Across |
| 39% | TEASEAPART | 10 | Carefully distinguish ... or a phonetic hint to the first and last letters of 17-, 26-, 48-, and 61-Across |
| 38% | HIGHERPOWER | 11 | Divine being ... or a hint to 17-, 31- and 48-Across |
| 38% | BREAKTHINGS | 11 | See 17-Across … or a hint to 23-, 34- and 48-Across |
| 38% | COMETOPAPA | 10 | Casino cry ... or a hint for 16-, 23-, 37- and 45-Across |
| 38% | ELLEWOODS | 9 | "Legally Blonde" protagonist... or a phonetic hint to 12 Across and 17 Across |
| 38% | REARENDED | 9 | Bumped from behind, or a hint to 17-, 25-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 38% | METALMUSIC | 10 | Genre for Slayer and Iron Maiden ... or a hint to 17-, 23-, 38- and 47-Across |
| 37% | MATCHINGPJS | 11 | Some Xmas card attire ... or a hint to 18-, 23-, 37- and 48-Across |
| 37% | LIDOSHUFFLE | 11 | Boz Scaggs hit with the lyric "One more for the road," and what can be found in 17-, 23-, 37-, and 48-Across? |
| 37% | EYECONTACT | 10 | Asset for a public speaker ... or a hint to 17-, 24-, 37- and 52-Across |
| 37% | MIDSIZE | 7 | Neither large nor small ... or a phonetic hint to 17-, 30-, 45- and 57-Across |
| 37% | ZITI | 4 | Tubular pasta ... and a phonetic hint to 17-, 23-, 51- and 60-Across |
| 37% | ROLLWITHIT | 10 | Be willing to accept whatever ... or a hint to the ends of 17-, 23-, 36- and 46-Across |
| 37% | LADYBUGS | 8 | Insects known for their distinctive spots ... or a hint to 15-, 23-, 36-, and 48-Across |
| 37% | BOOBYTRAPS | 10 | Dangers for the unwary ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 23- and 47-Across? |
| 37% | DOH | 3 | Cry from Homer … or a phonetic hint to the ends of 18-, 27-, 48- and 62- Across |
| 37% | WASHINGTON | 10 | U.S. capital whose location is a hint to 17-, 25-, 37- and 52-Across |