| 100% | FIFTY | 5 | "___ Shades of Grey," romance novel by British author E. L. James |
| 56% | FIFTY | 5 | “___ Shades of Grey” (best-selling E.L. James novel) |
| 52% | GREY | 4 | "Fifty Shades of ___" (novel by E. L. James) |
| 48% | JAMES | 5 | "Fifty Shades of Grey" author E.L. ___ |
| 48% | GREY | 4 | "Fifty Shades of ___" (novel by E.L. James) |
| 41% | GREY | 4 | "Fifty Shades of ___," book by E. L. James that holds the world record for fastest adult paperback to sell a million copies |
| 39% | ELJAMES | 7 | Author of 2011 novel Fifty Shades of Grey |
| 37% | ELJAMES | 7 | Fifty Shades of Grey author |
| 36% | EROTICNOVEL | 11 | "Fifty Shades of Grey," e.g. |
| 36% | EROTICA | 7 | "Fifty Shades of Grey," e.g. |
| 36% | ELJAMES | 7 | "Fifty Shades of Grey" author: 3 wds. |
| 36% | SHADESOFGREY | 12 | "Fifty ___," erotic novel trilogy written by E.L. James in which the main characters are Christian Grey and Ana Steele: 3 wds. |
| 35% | SCOTT | 5 | British author of historical novels and ballads |
| 34% | LEN | 3 | ___ Deighton, British author of spy novels |
| 34% | RAGTIME | 7 | 1975 novel by E L Doctorow |
| 34% | LOONLAKE | 8 | 1980 novel by E L Doctorow |
| 34% | GADFLY | 6 | The —, 1897 novel by E L Voynich |
| 34% | LOON | 4 | & 23A 1980 novel by E L Doctorow |
| 33% | GEORGE | 6 | Jessica, British author of the 2023 novel Maame |
| 32% | CLAVELL | 7 | James —, author of novels Shogun and Tai-Pan |
| 32% | HERBERT | 7 | James —, author of novels '48, Lair and Shrine |
| 32% | JOYCE | 5 | James —, author of novels Finnegans Wake and Ulysses |
| 32% | BENSON | 6 | E F —, author of 1920 novel Queen Lucia |
| 32% | IANMCEWAN | 9 | British author of the novel upon which 17-Across is based: 2 wds. |
| 32% | ELLROY | 6 | James —, author of 2009 novel Blood's a Rover |
| 32% | OMERTA | 6 | Final novel by the author of ''the great 'GF''' |
| 32% | CAIN | 4 | James M —, author of novels Serenade and Mildred Pierce |
| 32% | CLAVELL | 7 | James —, author of the novels Shogun and Tai-Pan |
| 32% | JOYCE | 5 | James —, author of the novels Finnegans Wake and Ulysses |