| 43% | GAME | 4 | "Play the ___," hit song by Queen that was written by Freddie Mercury |
| 42% | HERE | 4 | "___ You Come Again," Dolly Parton song that was performed by Katy Perry at the Grammys |
| 41% | CHRISTMAS | 9 | "Do They Know It's ___?," 1984 song by Band Aid that was written about the Ethiopian famine |
| 41% | PIANO | 5 | Keyed instrument that can be played by two people at the same time |
| 40% | WINTER | 6 | "___ is coming," motto of House Stark that is said by Ned Stark at the beginning of "Game of Thrones" |
| 40% | INKS | 4 | At least seven of these were used by the monks that created the Book of Kells |
| 40% | OVER | 4 | "The Song is ___," song by The Who that was written by Pete Townshend |
| 40% | WIND | 4 | "Candle in the ___," song by Elton John that was written in honor of Marilyn Monroe |
| 39% | PYGMALION | 9 | Play written in 1912 by George Bernard Shaw that was adapted into the film "My Fair Lady" |
| 38% | NODOFF | 6 | At midnight when I'm still writing clues for the puzzle that absolutely has to be in Florida by 8:00 am, I have a tendency to do this |
| 38% | BOOK | 4 | "The Ring and the ___," narrative poem written by Robert Browning that is set in Rome |
| 38% | THEEND | 6 | Song by the Doors that, paradoxically, is heard at the start of "Apocalypse Now" |
| 38% | NEWYEAR | 7 | Jan 1st event that we hope will be described by the words at 15a, 29a, 48a, 3d, and 41d for you: 2 wds. |
| 38% | WHEN | 4 | "___ I Look at You," hit song by Miley Cyrus that was featured in the 2010 film "The Last Song" |
| 38% | ROSE | 4 | "The Name of the ___," best-selling novel by Umberto Eco that was originally written in Italian |
| 38% | CHAPEL | 6 | "Crying in the ___," 1953 song written by Artie Glenn that was covered by Elvis Presley |
| 38% | SUNSHINE | 8 | "You Are My ___," song written by Jimmie Davis that is the state song of Louisiana |
| 37% | GUN | 3 | "The Knotted ___," bronze sculpture by artist Carl Fredrik Reutersward that is installed at the U.N. headquarters in New York City |
| 37% | DRAGON | 6 | "The Girl with the ___ Tattoo," best-selling novel by Stieg Larsson that was originally written in Swedish |
| 37% | BROKENPROMISE | 13 | Moral lapse that is reflected literally by the answers at 17-, 24-, 46- and 54-Across |
| 37% | TEXAS | 5 | ___ Longhorns, softball team that represents the University at Austin and is headed by coach Mike White |
| 37% | IMMA | 4 | "___ Be," 2009 song by the Black Eyed Peas that peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 |
| 37% | INCA | 4 | Peruvian civilization that was conquered by the Spaniards |
| 37% | SUEZ | 4 | Canal that was blocked by the "Ever Given" |
| 37% | OER | 3 | Educational resources that are owned by the public |
| 37% | SECTOR | 6 | Public __; services that are run by the government |
| 37% | WIKI | 4 | Online website that is edited by the masses |
| 37% | DEBATE | 6 | Planned September 29, 2020 event at the University of Notre Dame that will be watched by millions |
| 36% | DODO | 4 | Flightless bird that was extinct by the early 1700s |
| 36% | IDS | 3 | Cards that are checked by the TSA, for short |