| 100% | ITSGOTAGOODBEAT | 15 | With 38- and 59-Across, typical opinion about a record on 40-/14-Across |
| 45% | BUTDOCTOR | 9 | With 14 and 19 Across, punchline of a joke about a clown |
| 37% | DRAWTOWARD | 10 | Attract ... or, as three words, sequence change with a hint about 18-, 24-, 38- and 51-Across |
| 37% | DARRELL | 7 | Hammond with a record 14 seasons on 114-Down |
| 37% | LIFEOFPI | 8 | Book and movie about a boy on a boat with a tiger: 3 wds. |
| 37% | ROLL | 4 | With 44- and 76-Across, way to put legislators on record ... or the start, middle and end of a word ladder |
| 36% | THEYLIVED | 9 | With 37-Across, and 59-Across, a familiar finale |
| 35% | HALF | 4 | With 38- and 40-Across, grocery purchase ... or what can be found in some other Across answers in this puzzle |
| 35% | IWONDERWHERETHE | 15 | With 37- and 38-Across, a musing |
| 35% | IENJOYEDYOURBOOK | 16 | With 43- and 48-Across, a barb to 14-Down |
| 35% | DONTBEGIN | 9 | With 40- and 60-Across, a cautionary message |
| 34% | BYE | 3 | With 38 and 39 Across, NSYNC hit of 2000 |
| 34% | ANIMORPHS | 9 | Book series about people who transform into creatures... or a hint to 11 and 14 Across |
| 34% | NOSHOES | 7 | With 43-Across and 20-Down, a sign on a restaurant door |
| 34% | THEWILDROBOT | 12 | 2024 animated film featuring the voices of Pedro Pascal, 14-Across, and 31-Across about an automaton who befriends animals on a remote island (3 wds.) |
| 34% | LIVINGWITH | 10 | With 28-Across, Netflix series about a man and his clone: 2 wds. |
| 34% | LAHR | 4 | Defensive End Warren with 40 interceptions from 1950-59 and called a "ball hawk" on the Cleveland's list of "Browns Legends" |
| 33% | EXCUSEMEOFFICER | 15 | With 38- and 60-Across, what the man caught taking a dip in the reservoir said |
| 33% | ABRIEF | 6 | With 38 and 47 Across, best-seller written by 24/49 Across |
| 33% | NICHOLAS | 8 | With 62 Across, Charles Dickens novel about a man trying to support his sister and widowed mother, featuring a Maine college |
| 33% | ELLE | 4 | Magazine with a 14-Across on its cover |
| 33% | MICHAEL | 7 | With 38-Across, "Lost" actor portraying billionaire Harold Finch on 14-/52-Across |
| 33% | DUETOBUDGETCUTS | 15 | With 34-, 40- and 60-Across, a somber message for our loyal fans |
| 33% | ALLTHATWESEE | 12 | With 33-, 40-, 45-, and 57-Across, a quote by Edgar Allan Poe |
| 33% | LIKEA | 5 | With 40- and 46-Across, mossless? ... and #1 on the list |
| 32% | ROUGH | 5 | With 38- and 49-Across, unrefined, and a hint to what can precede this puzzle's border words |
| 32% | COLIN | 5 | With 40-Across, "Orange County" star who played a cop on FX's "Fargo" |
| 32% | THAT | 4 | With 15- and 26-Across, former Fox sitcom focused on a certain decade, literally |
| 32% | SKIPPING | 8 | With 59-Across, lakeside activity ... or a hint to the words spelled across the fifth, eighth and 11th rows of the completed grid |
| 32% | RACHEL | 6 | With 34-Across, MSNBC host of a nightly news and opinion show |