| 100% | STARTUP | 7 | With 40-Across, money required to open a business ... or a hint to 18-, 24-, 47- and 57-Across |
| 49% | MIDDLE | 6 | With 44-Down, educational stage ... or a hint to the contents of 18-, 22-, 47- and 53-Across |
| 49% | LGBTQ | 5 | Modern movement initialism ... or a hint to the starts of 18-, 24-, 40-, 52- and 61-Across |
| 48% | ROCKYSTART | 10 | Bumpy beginning ... or a hint to 18-, 24-, 36- and 52-Across |
| 48% | THEJOYOFCOOKING | 15 | Classic kitchen volume ... or a hint to 18-, 24-/53- and 62-Across |
| 47% | THEEND | 6 | With 39-Across, doomsayer's assertion ... or a phonetic hint to 18-, 24-, 51- and 61-Across |
| 47% | ANIMALHOUSE | 11 | 1978 comedy hit, or a hint to 16-, 23-, 47- and 57-Across |
| 47% | COMEDYCENTRAL | 13 | Popular cable network ... or a hint to 17-, 24-, 47- and 56-Across |
| 47% | SIDEEFFECTS | 11 | Secondary medication results ... or a phonetic hint to 18-, 24-, 40- and 51-Across |
| 47% | WHATSPOPPIN | 11 | Slangy question of greeting ... or a hint to 18-, 23-, 40- and 53-Across |
| 47% | HEADSTARTS | 10 | Advantages, or a hint to 18-, 27- and 47-Across |
| 46% | ALLTUCKEDIN | 11 | Comfily ready to sleep ... or a hint to 17-, 24-, 37- and 47-Across |
| 46% | AHAMOMENT | 9 | Sudden insight ... with a hint to 17-, 24-, 40- and 50-Across |
| 45% | HEADSOFSTATE | 12 | Country leaders, and along with names in parentheses, a hint to 18-, 24-, 39- and 49-Across |
| 45% | CANTFINDTHETIME | 15 | Is unable to get away, say ... or a hint to 17-, 24- and 40-Across? |
| 45% | LETSHAVESOMEFUN | 15 | "It's party time!" ... or a hint to 17-, 24- and 40-Across |
| 45% | MRINBETWEEN | 11 | "Don't mess with" him, per an old song lyric ... or a hint to 18-, 20-, 55- and 58-Across |
| 45% | ANIMAL | 6 | With 56-Across, lunchbox snacks ... or a hint to the black squares before 18-, 29-, 35- and 45-Across? |
| 44% | WORDSWITHFRIENDS | 16 | Popular app ... or a hint to the starts of 18-, 24- and 49-Across |
| 44% | DRAWTOWARD | 10 | Attract ... or, as three words, sequence change with a hint about 18-, 24-, 38- and 51-Across |
| 44% | BEARSFRUIT | 10 | Pays off ... or a hint to the starts of 17-, 24-, 38-, and 47-Across |
| 44% | THERESNOTWO | 11 | With 64-Across, words of certainty ... or a hint to 23-, 40- and 56-Across |
| 44% | FLYING | 6 | With 35-Across, complete success ... or a hint to 18-, 23-, 46- and 51-Across |
| 44% | ITSMEAGAIN | 10 | "I'm back!" … or a hint to 17-, 24-, 38- and 51- Across |
| 44% | YOUREFIRED | 10 | Dreaded cry from a boss ... or a hint to the ends of 18-, 23-, 40- and 53-Across |
| 44% | PIDAY | 5 | Mid-March celebration ... or a hint to the starts of 18-, 25-, 44- and 57-Across |
| 44% | TAKEOUTANAD | 11 | Promote one's business, maybe ... or a hint to 16-, 23-, 30-, 41- and 47-Across |
| 43% | THEPLOTTHICKENS | 15 | "Now things are getting interesting" ... or a hint to the first words of 17-, 24-, 45- and 57-Across |
| 43% | CUETHEMUSIC | 11 | Instruction to start playing ... or a hint to the end of 18-, 24-, 49- and 56-Across |
| 43% | BEACHFRONT | 10 | Property along the ocean ... or a hint to the starts of 18-, 23-, 36- and 47-Across |