| 100% | SHUFFLE | 7 | With 42-Across, prepare to play cards (and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters) |
| 71% | SHUFFLEBOARD | 12 | Game played on a floor or table, and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 69% | HEAT | 4 | With 53-Across, weather phenomenon with trapped warmth, and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 68% | TILTA | 5 | With 37-Across, spinning amusement ride, and a hint to this puzzle's design and circled letters |
| 67% | AUSPICES | 8 | Patronage... and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 67% | ROUNDOFGOLF | 11 | Eighteen holes ... and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 66% | WRONGWAY | 8 | Sign of misdirection, and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 66% | ONASIDENOTE | 11 | "By the way ...," and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 66% | HOSPITALCORNERS | 15 | Institutional bed-making technique, and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 65% | BACKUPBANDS | 11 | Miami Sound Machine and others, and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 65% | TINYBUBBLES | 11 | Don Ho's signature song ... and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 65% | SPLITTHEPOT | 11 | Divvy up poker hand winnings, and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 65% | THATSHALF | 9 | With 42-Across, encouraging words to someone making a good effort, and an apt description of this puzzle's circled letters |
| 64% | MIXEDMEDIA | 10 | Artwork using both paint and collage, e.g. ... and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 63% | RRXING | 6 | Intersection with flashing lights and bells, for short, and a hint to this puzzle's circles |
| 62% | MIXEDNUTS | 9 | Party snack (and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters) |
| 62% | DRIVEUPTHEPRICE | 15 | Make dear? (and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters) |
| 62% | SISTER | 6 | With 64 Across, Audre Lorde book... or a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 61% | FSH | 3 | Answer to the riddle "What do you call a fish with no eyes?"... or a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 60% | FREAKY | 6 | With 34-Across, 2003 body-switching comedy ... or a hint to what's in this puzzle's circled letters? |
| 60% | SPILLTHETEA | 11 | "Give me some gossip!" ... and a hint to this puzzle's sets of circles, which affect four Across answers |
| 59% | SOSO | 4 | Meh, and a clue to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 59% | TURNTABLES | 10 | DJs' devices ... and a hint to this puzzle's circles |
| 59% | CAKEMIXES | 9 | Baking conveniences, and a hint to this puzzle's circles |
| 59% | ROCKTHEBOAT | 11 | Make waves, and a hint to this puzzle's circles |
| 58% | WRAPSUP | 7 | Finishes, and a hint to the sets of circled letters in this puzzle |
| 58% | LOOKTHEOTHERWAY | 15 | Pretend not to notice, and a hint to this puzzle's circled words |
| 58% | OBLIQUEREFERENCE | 16 | Indirect comment ... or a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 58% | LETYOURHAIRDOWN | 15 | "Loosen up!" ... or a hint to this puzzle's circled letters |
| 58% | MIXINGBOWL | 10 | Baker's staple, and a hint to this puzzle's circles |