| 100% | REESES | 6 | With 41-Down, composition of a trail followed by [circled letters] |
| 42% | ADRAMACRITICIS | 14 | Part 1 of a quip by the writer named in the circled letters |
| 40% | LETAFOOL | 8 | Part 1 of a maxim by Publilius Syrus, hinted at by the series of circled letters |
| 39% | ITALIAN | 7 | With 49-Down, its form follows the pattern of the circled letters |
| 36% | EIGHTNOTES | 10 | Composition of a 30-Down |
| 36% | SECTOR | 6 | Part of a circle bounded by two radii |
| 35% | ROOMER | 6 | Letter with a limited amount of space |
| 35% | STAIRCASE | 9 | This puzzle has a secret one, starting with the third letter of 4-Down |
| 35% | ICOULDHAVE | 10 | Beginning of a quote by Ogden Nash, with punctuation included |
| 34% | DEE | 3 | Letter with the shape of half a pizza |
| 34% | IOU | 3 | Letters often followed by a number |
| 34% | RUNS | 4 | With 41-Down, meets by chance |
| 34% | TOOTHDECAY | 10 | Condition contributed to by a lack of [circled letters] |
| 34% | SIGMAS | 6 | Letters from Greece with a numeral value of 200 |
| 34% | MOPERS | 6 | Ones with a lot of down time? |
| 33% | SCRABBLE | 8 | Upwords is a variation of __ with stacking letters |
| 33% | AIRDROP | 7 | Delivery of supplies by plane with a parachute |
| 33% | DOUBLE | 6 | With 55-Down, form of the contents of the circled letters |
| 33% | WHITTLING | 9 | Carving a piece of wood by shaving it down |
| 33% | AUDI | 4 | German automaker with a logo of four interlocked circles |
| 33% | DAYBREAK | 8 | First light ... or a phenomenon suggested by this puzzle's seven sets of circled letters? |
| 33% | THEMAMAS | 8 | With 41- and 54-Across, group with a 1967 ballad version of 39-/41-/ 42-Across |
| 32% | SLEDDING | 8 | The act of sliding down a small hill with snow |
| 32% | NAPOLEON | 8 | With 41-Down, title teen in a 2004 indie hit |
| 32% | NESTING | 7 | With 68-Across, each successive one of a set graphically depicted by this puzzle's circles |
| 32% | CAST | 4 | Part of a film's credits that's often followed by "In order of appearance" |
| 32% | ONE | 3 | Value of a 41-Down, sometimes |
| 32% | THEBRIDGE | 9 | First part of a 1952 best seller's title, followed by 37- and 51-Across |
| 32% | BLACK | 5 | With 41- and 43-Across, cop cruiser ... or a description of the five animals named in this puzzle |
| 32% | ADOORSWHATADOG | 14 | Start of a quip by 52-Down |