| 100% | BROADCOMEDIES | 13 | Zany movies, or a literal description of the contents of the spread-out circles |
| 52% | HALFMEASURE | 11 | Paltry effort, or a literal description of the answer to each starred clue |
| 52% | AMATTEROFTIME | 13 | Bound to happen sooner or later ... or a literal description of the ends of the answers to 20-, 28-, and 45-Across |
| 52% | DOWN | 4 | With 40-Down, how rain falls ... or a literal description of the answers to the four themed clues |
| 52% | GHOSTBUSTERS | 12 | 1984 supernatural movie with a 2016 reboot ... or a description of the black squares between the groups of circles? |
| 51% | VICIOUSCYCLES | 13 | Hard patterns to break ... or a punny description of the climbs up the circled letters |
| 47% | ITMEANSALOT | 11 | “That’s so nice of you” . . . and a literal description of the last word in 17-, 21-, 39-, or 57-Across |
| 47% | PARALLELPARKS | 13 | Does a driving test task - or an apt description of the five circled diagonals in this puzzle |
| 45% | SYLLABUS | 8 | Description of the contents of a course of study |
| 45% | RSAILSPLITTER | 13 | Another nickname for Old Abe ... or a description of the circled letter? |
| 45% | CHANGINGTABLES | 14 | Furniture for new parents ... and a literal description of the circled squares (look on top of them to find this puzzle's six-letter meta answer) |
| 44% | POSTITNOTES | 11 | Sticky yellow squares ... or a description of the circled letters and what they follow? |
| 44% | AHOUSEDIVIDED | 13 | Lincoln's description of pre-Civil War America … or a hint to the circled letters |
| 44% | FORTYWINKS | 10 | Quick nap ... or a playful description of the 64-Down here |
| 43% | WATERSLIDES | 11 | Summer amusements ... or a literal description of three answers in this puzzle |
| 43% | FOURALARM | 9 | Hot chili designation, and a literal description of the starts of 17-, 25-, 35- and 51-Across |
| 42% | DOESNTHOLDWATER | 15 | Isn't credible, or a literal description of 17-, 22-, 35-, or 46-Across? |
| 42% | FALLINGSTA | 10 | Wishful things? ... or a literal description of 16-, 17-, 32-, 44- and 60-Across |
| 42% | UNITEDNATIONS | 13 | Organization founded in 1945 ... or a literal description of 20-, 24- and 44-Across? |
| 42% | ADBLOCK | 7 | Popular browser extension ... or a literal description of four black squares in this puzzle |
| 42% | BEARWITHME | 10 | "Please be patient" … or a literal description of 15-, 28-, 39- and 52-Across? |
| 42% | LETTEROPENER | 12 | Sharp device in a classic desk set, or a literal and phonetic description of the ends of 20-, 28-, 36-, and 48-Across? |
| 42% | LINKINGVERB | 11 | Word such as "be" ... or a punny description of the seven-letter word that can create new action words when its letters are inserted in the breaks of the circled action words |
| 42% | NONNEGATIVE | 11 | Zero or greater, or a description of the circled letters, which do not affect the meanings of the answers |
| 41% | NEWSPAPERCOLUMN | 15 | Place to express an opinion ... or a literal description of 3-, 7-, 9- and 21-Down? |
| 41% | FASTFOODS | 9 | Fares at McDonald's and KFC … or a literal description of 17-, 29- and 47-Across |
| 41% | CLOTHESLINE | 11 | Where duds are draped to dry … or a literal description of 18-, 28- and 49-Across? |
| 41% | HELLBENT | 8 | Totally determined, and a literal description of this puzzle's circled letters |
| 41% | DOWNWARDDOG | 11 | Popular yoga pose ... or a literal hint to the ends of 3-, 7-, 9- and 21-Down |
| 41% | TNUT | 4 | Hardware fastener ... or a literal hint to the circled squares in this puzzle |