| 100% | AIDA | 4 | "Celeste ___" (aria whose title includes the name of the opera it's in) |
| 47% | ARLISS | 6 | HBO title agent whose name includes dollar signs in the show's logo |
| 47% | ISR | 3 | U.S. ally whose capital has the letters U-S-A in the middle of its name: Abbr. |
| 47% | ROGERMURTAUGH | 13 | The name of the character Danny Glover - whose birthday it is today - portrays in the "Lethal Weapon" film series: 2 wds. |
| 47% | ERIK | 4 | The phantom's name in "The Phantom of the Opera" |
| 46% | HAWAII | 6 | "Blue ___," hit song that was used in Elvis Presley's titular movie which has the name of Barack Obama's birth state in its title |
| 44% | OLIVERREED | 10 | Actor whose first name is the title of a Best Picture he co-starred in, and whose last name is that film's director |
| 44% | ISIS | 4 | Bob Dylan song whose title is the name of a goddess |
| 44% | MIAMI | 5 | "Move to ___," hit song by Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias which has the name of a Florida city in its title |
| 44% | NOONE | 5 | 2007 song whose title precedes "... can get in the way of what I'm feelin'" in its lyrics |
| 44% | ORCA | 4 | Animal whose name consists of the postal codes of two states it passes in its migration |
| 43% | WACO | 4 | U.S. radio station whose call letters spell the name of its city |
| 43% | ERIK | 4 | The name of the phantom in "The Phantom of the Opera" |
| 43% | SDAK | 4 | Only U.S. state in which the name of the state and its capital share no letters: Abbr. |
| 43% | PHI | 3 | When repeated, it's the name of an island group in Thailand |
| 43% | MEXICO | 6 | US state with the name of country in it, New __ |
| 42% | GALWAY | 6 | "___ Girl," song by English singer Ed Sheeran which has the name of an Irish city in its title that is home to Eyre Square |
| 42% | OKCUPID | 7 | Dating website whose name includes the name of a Roman god |
| 42% | OOPS | 4 | "___!... I Did It Again," title track from Britney Spears' album of the same name that celebrates 25 years in 2025 |
| 42% | OSAKA | 5 | With 1d, it's the name of the reigning US Open Champion in women's singles |
| 42% | CRIMESCENE | 10 | "CSI: ___," with 31-Across, the name of a TV show Liev Schreiber - whose birthday it is today - guest starred in as Michael Keppler: 2 wds. |
| 42% | KETCH | 5 | Jack —, English hangman whose victims included the Duke of Monmouth in 1685 |
| 42% | HAN | 3 | First name of the title character in "Solo" |
| 41% | FBI | 3 | Org. whose seal includes a backronym of its name |
| 41% | EBWHITE | 7 | Author whose last name's first letter, followed by the two initials that precede his last name, form a word in one of his most famous titles |
| 41% | ERIK | 4 | The Phantom of the Opera's name |
| 41% | M3GAN | 5 | The name of the sentient robot in a 2023 horror movie, as stylized in the title |
| 41% | MAC | 3 | The name of the character played by Rob McElhenney on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" |
| 41% | ESQUIRE | 7 | Unofficial title of respect written in the end of a man's formal name |
| 41% | DARLINGI | 8 | 2024 Tyler, the Creator hit whose title includes a term of endearment: 2 wds. |