| 100% | ALSO | 4 | "2001: A Space Odyssey" used as its theme music the opening fanfare of "___ Sprach Zarathustra" |
| 37% | APES | 4 | Extras in the opening of "2001: A Space Odyssey" |
| 36% | APE | 3 | Bone smasher in the opening scene of "2001: A Space Odyssey" |
| 34% | ALSO | 4 | ___ Sprach Zarathustra (theme from "2001: A Space Odyssey") |
| 32% | OVERTURE | 8 | The opening theme of a grand orchestral suite |
| 31% | APERTURE | 8 | The opening of a camera that adjusts its size |
| 31% | ARTHURCCLARKE | 13 | "2001: A Space Odyssey" novelist who was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1997 (3 wds.) |
| 31% | OVERTURE | 8 | The opening to a piece of music, e.g. The 1812 __ |
| 30% | MINUTEMAN | 9 | Fighter used as a symbol of the National Guard |
| 29% | COALGAS | 7 | Once used as a resource instead of its natural counterpart: 2 wds. |
| 29% | RAGNAROK | 8 | Norse mythology upheaval used as the subtitle of a 2017 "Thor" film |
| 29% | RAGNAROK | 8 | *Norse mythology battle used as the subtitle of a 2017 "Thor" film |
| 29% | EATSINTO | 8 | Uses up part of, as the next slot on a schedule |
| 29% | ABBA | 4 | Source of the music for a 2001 theatrical hit |
| 28% | MASCOT | 6 | A character used as the emblem of a team or side |
| 28% | GOODDAYSUNSHINE | 15 | Beatles song used as wake-up music on the last Space Shuttle mission |
| 28% | ASTRONOMY | 9 | Scientific study of celestial objects, space and the universe as a whole |
| 28% | DULLEA | 6 | Keir of "2001: A Space Odyssey" |
| 28% | KEIR | 4 | Dullea of "2001: A Space Odyssey" |
| 28% | ABBA | 4 | Pop group whose music was the basis of a hit 2001 Broadway musical |
| 28% | ERIKSATIE | 9 | Composer whose Parade includes the use of a typewriter as a percussion instrument |
| 27% | ALA | 3 | State, in short, which had as its first permanent capital the community of Cahaba, now a ghost town |
| 27% | HAL | 3 | Villain of "2001: A Space Odyssey," ___ 9000 |
| 27% | BLOWHOLE | 8 | Anatomical feature of a 13-Across that uses the same consonants as 13-Across |
| 27% | MONOLITH | 8 | Large column of stone, like in the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey" |
| 27% | MORIA | 5 | Underground kingdom known as Khazad-dum that used to be a famed realm of the Dwarves |
| 27% | WEBUILTTHISCITY | 15 | Starship song written as a lament against the closure of L.A.'s live music clubs |
| 27% | THEMONOLITH | 11 | Black artifact that inspires one of the 21 Across to use a bone as a weapon |
| 26% | MASTHEAD | 8 | The title of a newspaper as it appears in print |
| 26% | REMORA | 6 | Elongated marine fish such as the Common — with a sucking disc on the top of its head |