| 100% | HOAGY | 5 | "Jelly Roll, Bix and ___" (1994 history of early jazz) |
| 49% | PIONEER | 7 | Jelly Roll Morton of jazz, e.g. |
| 48% | MORTON | 6 | Jelly Roll __, jazz pianist of King Porter Stomp |
| 48% | MORTON | 6 | Jelly Roll __, jazz pianist of the Red Hot Peppers |
| 47% | GILSCOTTHERON | 13 | Jazz poet who will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a recipient of the Early Influence Award (2 wds.) |
| 43% | GIL | 3 | Jazz poet in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ___ Scott-Heron |
| 42% | ETTA | 4 | Jazz singer ___ James who's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |
| 41% | ROCK | 4 | ___ and Roll Hall of Fame, museum into which Elton John was inducted in 1994 |
| 41% | NORVO | 5 | Red of early jazz |
| 38% | ALGONQUIN | 9 | Group of early 20th-century New York City writers and actors depicted in 1994 biopic Mrs Parker and the Vicious Circle |
| 38% | FAME | 4 | Rock and Roll Hall of ___, rock history museum into which the Beastie Boys were inducted in 2012 |
| 37% | ERA | 3 | Colonial ___ (period of early American history) |
| 37% | PICON | 5 | Molly of early stage and screen |
| 36% | CMA | 3 | Org. for Jelly Roll and Luke Combs |
| 35% | TSQUAREROOTS | 12 | Early history of a drafting tool? |
| 35% | DIXIELAND | 9 | Early style of New Orleans jazz |
| 35% | STU | 3 | Early bandmate of John and Paul |
| 35% | IBM | 3 | Early innovator of ATMs and UPCs |
| 35% | ATARI | 5 | Early employer of Woz and Jobs |
| 35% | MORTON | 6 | Jazz's Jelly Roll |
| 35% | SUSHI | 5 | Rolls of raw fish and rice |
| 35% | LUST | 4 | "... prologue to the history of __ and foul thoughts": Iago |
| 35% | BELA | 4 | Star of early horror films alongside Boris and Lon |
| 34% | EASYTEN | 7 | Roll of 4 and 6, in craps |
| 34% | SOD | 3 | Roll of grass for yards and lawns |
| 34% | EROS | 4 | Early wielder of a bow and arrow |
| 34% | JUVENILIA | 9 | Early works of Branwell and Charlotte Brontë |
| 34% | AGAPES | 6 | Early Christian meals of love and fellowship |
| 34% | JAM | 3 | Cousin of jelly and marmalade |