| 100% | EARTHS | 6 | "At the __ Core": Burroughs novel |
| 88% | EARTHS | 6 | "At the ___ Core" (Edgar Rice Burroughs novel) |
| 75% | AMID | 4 | At the core of |
| 75% | MIDST | 5 | At the core of |
| 68% | BATEMAN | 7 | Investment banker at the core of American Psycho |
| 67% | KERNEL | 6 | Program at the core of a computer's OS |
| 63% | THEY | 4 | "___ Both Die at the End" (2017 YA novel) |
| 63% | BOTH | 4 | "They ___ Die at the End" (Adam Silvera novel) |
| 63% | DIE | 3 | "They Both ___ at the End" (young adult novel) |
| 63% | MORTALENEMIES | 13 | Pair at the beginning of some romance novels |
| 61% | MAC | 3 | Apple at the cores of 17- and 53-Across and 10- and 23-Down |
| 60% | INN | 3 | "The Mystery at the Lilac ___" (Carolyn Keene novel) |
| 60% | OCEAN | 5 | "The ___ at the End of the Lane" (Neil Gaiman novel) |
| 58% | APEMEN | 6 | The Mangani of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan novels, for example |
| 58% | LANE | 4 | "The Ocean at the End of the ___" (Neil Gaiman novel) |
| 58% | END | 3 | "The Ocean at the ___ of the Lane" (Neil Gaiman novel) |
| 58% | OMOO | 4 | 1847 novel with the chapter "Life at Loohooloo" |
| 57% | END | 3 | "The Ocean at the ___ of the Lane" (2013 Neil Gaiman novel) |
| 56% | MARS | 4 | "A Princess of ___," Edgar Rice Burroughs novel featuring the "Red Planet" in its title |
| 55% | EGAN | 4 | Jennifer —, author of novels The Keep and Look at Me |
| 55% | SONOFTARZAN | 11 | Edgar Rice Burroughs novel, with "The" |
| 55% | EARTHS | 6 | "At the ___ Core," 1976 sci-fi film |
| 55% | READ | 4 | Enjoy a novel at the beach |
| 55% | MCCLURE | 7 | Doug —, actor who played David Innes in 1976 fantasy film At the Earth's Core |
| 55% | TOKORI | 6 | "The Bridges At ___" (Michener novel) |
| 55% | TOKORI | 6 | "The Bridges At __" (Michener novel) |
| 55% | PLAZA | 5 | "Eloise at the ___" (Disney film based on a series of Kay Thompson children's novels) |
| 54% | BROOKE | 6 | Jocelyn —, author of novels The Dog at Clambercrown and The Scapegoat |
| 54% | EGAN | 4 | Jennifer —, author of the novels The Keep and Look at Me |
| 54% | KOESTLER | 8 | Arthur —, author of novels The Call-Girls and Darkness at Noon |