| 100% | STAY | 4 | With 40-Across, coloring advice ... and literally so |
| 69% | READ | 4 | With 40-Across, infer something ... and literally so |
| 53% | FISTBUMPOR | 10 | With 40 and 64 Across, congratulatory choices |
| 50% | NOTHINGTO | 9 | With 36 and 56 Across, so-so |
| 47% | EDITWHERE | 9 | With 40-Across, good advice for correcting a manuscript? |
| 46% | TECHSTARTUP | 11 | New venture that may collaborate with Y Combinator, and what 18-, 24-, 40-, and 52-Across each literally has? |
| 45% | TUNA | 4 | With 40 Across, diner orders |
| 45% | DONTBEGIN | 9 | With 40- and 60-Across, a cautionary message |
| 44% | SHRIMP | 6 | With 40 Across, seafood dish with garlic |
| 44% | INTWOWORDS | 10 | With 40 Across, Goldwyn's ''No way!'' |
| 43% | WILLIE | 6 | With 40-Across, singer/songwriter who, at age 85, is still performing and touring |
| 43% | BROKEN | 6 | With 40-Across, repeat offender? ... or something found, literally, in four rows in this puzzle |
| 43% | STURM | 5 | With 40- and 41-Across, 18th-century literary and musical movement |
| 43% | LIKEA | 5 | With 40- and 46-Across, mossless? ... and #1 on the list |
| 42% | MISTER | 6 | With 40 Across, Hanks' role in 17/64 Across |
| 42% | THEALIENAND | 11 | With 40 Across, historic rules for subduing UFO occupants? |
| 42% | ABRAHAM | 7 | With 40 Across, bearded VIP with a February 12th birthday |
| 41% | LEGGO | 5 | With "my" and 40-Across, frozen waffle slogan |
| 41% | BETTY | 5 | With 40-Across, legendary actress and comedian who died at age 99 on 12/31/2021 |
| 40% | PROPERTY | 8 | With 40-Across, HGTV series in which siblings Drew and Jonathan Scott help people buy and rehab older homes |
| 40% | STARTUP | 7 | With 40-Across, money required to open a business ... or a hint to 18-, 24-, 47- and 57-Across |
| 40% | BRANDON | 7 | With 40-Across, science fiction and fantasy writer known for the series "Mistborn," "The Reckoners," and 10-Across |
| 40% | ISLANDSIN | 9 | With 40-Across, song that reached #1 on Billboard's country and Hot 100 charts in 1983: 2 wds. |
| 40% | POTENTIALCONSEQUENCES | 21 | With 44-, 63-, 77- and 93-Across, a long-winded piece of advice |
| 40% | ALLTHATWESEE | 12 | With 33-, 40-, 45-, and 57-Across, a quote by Edgar Allan Poe |
| 39% | FLYING | 6 | With 40-Across, what a straight-A student passes with ... or a hint to 17-, 27-, 46- and 62-Across |
| 39% | ANDREW | 6 | With 40- and 51-Across, composer of 29-Down/60-Across, as well as 63-Across |
| 39% | ANGEL | 5 | With 32-Across, season-leading scorer and rebounder for the 2023 champion 40-Across |
| 39% | JACQUELINE | 10 | With 33-, 36- and 40-Across, American born 7/28/1929 |
| 38% | TIC | 3 | With 40- and 43-Across, game that's been played in each of this puzzle's corners |