| 100% | PORTO | 5 | With 5-Across, a Caribbean island, formerly |
| 59% | BARBUDA | 7 | Caribbean island, forms a nation with Antigua |
| 58% | TOBAGO | 6 | Caribbean island that forms a country with Trinidad |
| 54% | BLOOD | 5 | With 5-Across, A+ or B-, e.g. |
| 54% | LOSE | 4 | With 5-Across, blow a fuse |
| 53% | FIRST | 5 | With 5-Across, like a trivial problem, colloquially |
| 53% | SPIT | 4 | With 5-Across, cook on a rotating rod |
| 52% | CURACAO | 7 | Blue liqueur associated with a Caribbean island |
| 51% | FIRST | 5 | With 5-Across, baby's milestone ... or a hint to the hidden layer in this puzzle's Across clues |
| 51% | TEST | 4 | With 5-Across, take some wheels out for a spin |
| 50% | GOOD | 4 | With 5-Across, old-fashioned exclamation that doubles as a Thanksgiving compliment |
| 49% | BROWN | 5 | With 5 Across, paper lunch holder |
| 49% | KAMALA | 6 | With 5-Across, first woman of color on a national major-party ticket |
| 48% | ZOOM | 4 | With 5 Across, camera's closeup attachment |
| 47% | TORTUGA | 7 | Island in the Caribbean, formerly a haunt of pirates, off the NW coast of Haiti |
| 47% | STLUCIA | 7 | Caribbean island with the Pitons |
| 46% | XXXX | 4 | ___ Maarten (Dutch-speaking half of a Caribbean island) |
| 46% | BARBADOS | 8 | Caribbean island country popular with tourists |
| 46% | ARUBA | 5 | Caribbean island that rhymes with "Cuba" |
| 46% | GRAHAM | 6 | With 5-Down, a TV gourmet |
| 46% | LOVE | 4 | With 5-Down, many a ballad |
| 45% | JAMAICA | 7 | Caribbean island country with the capital Kingston |
| 45% | LIP | 3 | With 5-Down, match, in a way |
| 45% | HAD | 3 | With 5-Down, ate a bit of |
| 45% | BUT | 3 | With 75 Across, a gas |
| 44% | MARTINIQUE | 10 | Caribbean island that's a region of France |
| 44% | BARBADOS | 8 | Caribbean island that became a republic in 2021 |
| 44% | BANK | 4 | With 5-Down, one seen in a cage |
| 44% | OWE | 3 | With 5 Down, be behind, as a tenant |
| 44% | CHAIN | 5 | With 5-Down, shop in a mall, often |