| 100% | CHEESE | 6 | With 58-Across, savory base for a canapé ... and the function of a black square in four puzzle rows? |
| 47% | BREAKINGBAD | 11 | #3 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time (as of 2016) ... and a hint to what the black squares are doing in four rows of this puzzle |
| 47% | COOKIE | 6 | With 36-Across, mass-produced ... and what each of four black squares in this puzzle is? |
| 47% | SPIN | 4 | Take a turn with the object illustrated by the central black squares in this puzzle (leading to one of the four circled results) |
| 43% | BETWEENTHELINES | 15 | Where hidden meanings are found, and where both sets of four horizontal black squares in the puzzle are |
| 42% | SECRET | 6 | With 46-Across, some areas in Clue … or a hint to the first, fourth, twelfth and fifteenth rows of this puzzle |
| 42% | DISUNION | 8 | State of division, and what the first letters of the states divided across black squares in this puzzle spell out |
| 40% | MICROBREW | 9 | Craft beer . . . and a hint to the contents of four squares in this puzzle |
| 40% | MINCE | 5 | With 45-Across, not be direct ... or what four groups of black squares in this puzzle do? |
| 39% | PARTINGSHOT | 11 | End of a testy exchange, and what can be found four times in this puzzle, thanks to four black squares |
| 39% | IMPULSE | 7 | With 63-Across, Freudian concept of resisting temptation ... or a hint to four squares in this puzzle |
| 39% | BLACK | 5 | With 41- and 43-Across, cop cruiser ... or a description of the five animals named in this puzzle |
| 39% | ADBLOCK | 7 | Popular browser extension ... or a literal description of four black squares in this puzzle |
| 38% | IBELIEVEICANFLY | 15 | R. Kelly hit whose last title word is aptly rhymed with "sky" in the lyrics ... and a hint to the starts of the other four longest puzzle answers |
| 38% | THENUTCRACKER | 13 | Classic ballet set on Christmas Eve, with a hint to four black squares in this puzzle |
| 38% | PH/FONETICALLY | 14 | Middle of the quip ... and a hint to eight squares in this puzzle |
| 37% | ALL | 3 | With 36-Down and 38-Across, Blink-182 hit song, and a description of four long answers in this puzzle |
| 37% | HOWIWISH | 8 | With 94- and 72-Across, a mnemonic for the first eight digits of [symbol in the middle of the grid] |
| 37% | BANANA | 6 | With 37-Across, some ice cream confections … or a hint to the second, fifth, eleventh and fourteenth rows of this puzzle |
| 37% | WAITING | 7 | On hold ... or what the seven rows of black squares in this puzzle's grid spell in Morse code |
| 37% | WIRED | 5 | Tense with excitement ... and a hint to the ends of the four longest puzzle answers |
| 37% | JUMPING | 7 | With 58-Across, cardio exercise ... and what's hidden in three puzzle rows? |
| 37% | CHEESE | 6 | With 45-Across, savory topping found in tubs ... and the circled squares? |
| 36% | END | 3 | With 72-Across, evasive strategy ... and a hint to the last several letters of the four longest Across answers |
| 36% | LITTLEHELPHERE | 14 | "I could use some assistance" ... and a hint to the contents of three squares in this puzzle |
| 36% | HIVE | 4 | With 58-Across, collective consciousness ... or a hint to the ends of 19-, 35- and 52-Across |
| 36% | SORT | 4 | Word processing function … and a clue to the circled square in this row |
| 36% | BREAKINGRANKS | 13 | Splitting with one's group ... or a hint to the theme found in four puzzle rows |
| 36% | LANGUAGEBARRIER | 15 | Tourist's concern, and a description of four of this puzzle's black squares |
| 36% | MORN | 4 | Poetic time of day … and a clue to the circled square in this row |