| 100% | CHINESE | 7 | With 27- and 36-Across, object that floated over the US in early 2023 |
| 38% | BUBBLE | 6 | *Inflated sphere that floats in the air and pops with the lightest touch |
| 38% | BALLOON | 7 | Chinese spy ___ (object seen floating over the U.S. earlier this month) |
| 37% | STONES | 6 | Infinity ___, five powerful objects that Thanos and the Avengers fight over in the Marvel movies |
| 36% | FIRST | 5 | Where the U.N. is in Manhattan, with 27-Across |
| 35% | MRIGGINSANDMISS | 15 | With 27-, 49- and 63-Across, the story behind 5-, 36-, 39- and 70-Across |
| 35% | WWE | 3 | Org. that merged with the U.F.C. in 2023 |
| 34% | THE | 3 | With 35- and 36-Across, second-largest galaxy in the Local Group |
| 34% | EARTH | 5 | The planet we reside in, that shows off its creative spirit in natural wonders, and a word with 16a hidden in it |
| 33% | ADRIFT | 6 | Floating aimlessly, and the title of the fifth novel in 27-Across's "Donovan" series |
| 33% | GREAT | 5 | With 27-, 49- and 66-Across, phrase applicable to five innovations in this puzzle (as suggested by the starred clues) |
| 33% | NAOMI | 5 | With 36-Across, Japanese tennis player who defeated Serena Williams in the 2018 US Open final |
| 33% | SESAME | 6 | With 29-Across, children's show starring Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch that debuted in 1969 |
| 32% | BLACKPINK | 9 | Korean girl group with the hit songs "How You Like That," 17-Across, and 27-Across |
| 32% | SAXOPHONE | 9 | Instrument with parts that share the last names of 17-Across, 10-Down and 27-Down |
| 32% | OHIO | 4 | US state that begins and ends with the same letter |
| 32% | ALLIWANTFOR | 11 | With 33-Across, holiday tune that hit #1 on the Billboard charts in 2019, 2020, and 2021: 4 wds. |
| 32% | PARITY | 6 | What the U.S. and Canadian dollars had, roughly, in the early 2010s |
| 31% | PIERS | 5 | Docks that may float in place with the tide |
| 31% | SWEDEN | 6 | Country that won Eurovision in 2023 with the song "Tattoo" |
| 31% | SCOTTJOPLIN | 11 | US pianist and composer associated with the ragtime style who died in 1917 |
| 31% | FLAN | 4 | Dessert name that has different meanings in the UK and US |
| 31% | TOTALECLIPSE | 12 | Event across the U.S. on 4/8/24 ... and, with 57-Across, 1983 Bonnie Tyler hit that would be apt to play during a 46-Across |
| 30% | FLYING | 6 | With 36-Down, creature voiced by Zach Braff in "Oz the Great and Powerful" |
| 30% | BIRDS | 5 | Animals that can be paired with the words early, lady and whirly |
| 30% | AOL | 3 | ISP that began offering email and Internet service in the early 1990s |
| 30% | STAIRWAY | 8 | With 27-Down, song involved in the 18-Across lawsuit |
| 30% | TIC | 3 | With 50 and 55 Across, the ''central'' theme |
| 30% | TWORHYMINGWORDS | 15 | With 27-, 39-, 46- and 62-Across, a brain teaser, whose answer appears in the circled squares |
| 30% | ULTRA | 5 | The U in UVA and UVB |