| 100% | BUG | 3 | With 6-Across, causes of summer itches |
| 68% | ALARM | 5 | With 6-Across, cause of many a rude awakening |
| 58% | PANAMA | 6 | With 6-Down, bit of summer wear |
| 54% | SMOKE | 5 | Cause of poor air quality across many U.S. cities this summer |
| 53% | USER | 4 | With 6-Across, cause for many IT headaches |
| 52% | HARD | 4 | With 6-Across, product of fermenting apples |
| 52% | POWER | 5 | With 6-Across, source of generational wealth? |
| 52% | FREE | 4 | With 6-Across, guarantee of the First Amendment |
| 52% | MEL | 3 | With 6-Across, a man of many voices |
| 51% | JAMES | 5 | With 6-Across, director of the F.B.I. |
| 51% | SPACE | 5 | With 6-Across, newly proposed branch of the military |
| 51% | DATE | 4 | With 6-Across, Carell/Fey romantic comedy of 2010 |
| 50% | ONES | 4 | With 6-Across, column left of the decimal (appropriate today) |
| 49% | DRIVE | 5 | With 6-Across, type of window at a fast food restaurant |
| 49% | SEA | 3 | With 6-Across, it has the densest fur of any animal |
| 49% | SAM | 3 | With 6-Across, winner of four Grammys at the 2015 Grammy Awards |
| 48% | BASS | 4 | With 6 Across, music staff symbol |
| 48% | ROALD | 5 | With 6 Across, Willy Wonka creator |
| 48% | LIFE | 4 | With 6- and 8-Across, shared belief of Christianity and Islam |
| 47% | THE | 3 | With 6 Across, something to cut to |
| 47% | TRUE | 4 | With 6-Across, genre of the podcast "Serial" or Capote's "In Cold Blood" |
| 47% | HEATRASH | 8 | Summer itch cause |
| 47% | BUM | 3 | With 70-Across, cause of a limp |
| 47% | FROG | 4 | With 15-Across, cause of some hoarseness |
| 46% | FLEA | 4 | Cause of an itch |
| 46% | RASH | 4 | Cause of an itch |
| 45% | ARLO | 4 | With 23-Across, singer of the song referenced at 6-Down |
| 44% | SHARP | 5 | With 6-Down, acute power of discernment |
| 43% | NEAR | 4 | With 6-Down, Turkey is part of it |
| 43% | ANG | 3 | With 6-Down, "Life of Pi" director |