| Least distant | 13 |
| Most proximate | 14 |
| Most convenient | 15 |
| Most imminent | 13 |
| Short and direct | 16 |
| Requiring the least driving | 27 |
| Most handy | 10 |
| Least remote | 12 |
| Least generous | 14 |
| Johnny Cash: "You're the ____ Thing to Heaven" | 60 |
| Most warm, so to speak | 22 |
| Most warm, in a way | 19 |
| Most closely related | 20 |
| Most at hand | 12 |
| Like the relatives notified in emergencies, usually | 51 |
| Like the pen or pencil you might reach for | 42 |
| Like a relative notified in an emergency, maybe | 47 |
| Like a best friend, say | 23 |
| Least removed | 13 |
| Directions-inquiry word | 23 |
| Dearest's companion | 23 |
| Companion of dearest | 20 |
| Best, as an estimate | 20 |
| "Do the duty which lies ___ thee": Carlyle | 52 |
| Getting warmer, in a way | 24 |
| Soon to be at | 13 |
| Getting warm, so to speak | 25 |
| Drawing closer | 14 |
| All but | 7 |
| "This ___ Was Mine" ("South Pacific" song) | 62 |
| Close call | 10 |
| It's close but gets no cigar | 32 |
| Aviation safety statistic | 25 |
| "Almost" | 18 |
| Young woman next door? | 22 |
| This might elicit "close but no cigar" | 48 |
| Subject of an FAA investigation | 31 |
| Reason for relief | 17 |
| Not quite a direct hit | 22 |
| It's so-o-o-o close | 23 |
| Failure by a narrow margin | 26 |
| Almost a direct hit | 19 |
| "Phew!" evoker | 24 |
| Pulse quickeners, perhaps | 25 |
| Leaners, e.g. | 13 |
| Closes in on | 12 |
| Comes close | 11 |
| Comes closer | 12 |
| Gets warmer | 11 |
| Draws nigh | 10 |
| Approximates | 12 |
| Verges on | 9 |
| Converges on | 12 |
| Gets closer to | 14 |
| Gets close to | 13 |
| Moves toward | 12 |
| Draws close | 11 |
| Creeps up on | 12 |
| Opposite of pulls away | 22 |
| Gets in range of | 16 |
| Draws closer | 12 |
| Comes close to | 14 |
| Bellies up to | 13 |
| Is on the verge of | 18 |
| Impends | 7 |
| Gets warmer? | 12 |
| Gets warmer, in a way | 21 |
| Draws close to | 14 |
| Closes in | 9 |
| Becomes imminent | 16 |
| Moves in on | 11 |
| Inches closer | 13 |
| Gets warmer, in a game | 22 |
| Gets closer | 11 |
| Gets close | 10 |
| Draws closer to | 15 |
| Starts to resemble | 18 |
| Sidles up to | 12 |
| Opposite of retreats | 20 |
| Isn't far from reaching | 27 |
| Is in the offing | 16 |
| Impends: | 8 |
| Gets within shouting distance of | 32 |
| Gets within a stone's throw of | 34 |
| Gets warmer, say | 16 |
| Gets warmer, perhaps | 20 |
| Gets warm, so to speak | 22 |
| Gets next to | 12 |
| Gets into the vicinity | 22 |
| Gets in the vicinity of | 23 |
| Gets bigger, visually | 21 |
| Gets "warmer" | 23 |
| Gains upon | 10 |
| Edges up on | 11 |
| Comes up to | 11 |
| Comes nigh | 10 |
| Comes closer to | 15 |
| Closes the gap | 14 |
| Closes on | 9 |
| Appropinquates | 14 |