| 100% | ITSON | 5 | "The show's starting!" (2 wds.) |
| 100% | ASEAT | 5 | "Take ___, the show's about to start!" ("Sit down!"): 2 wds. |
| 88% | ITSON | 5 | "The show just started!": 2 wds. |
| 72% | BUFFALOBOB | 10 | Host of the show featuring 18-Across: 2 wds. |
| 69% | SHH | 3 | "Quiet, the show's starting!" |
| 69% | FRIDAYNIGHT | 11 | NBC's "___ Lights," the show which could continue only post a deal with DirecTV: 2 wds. |
| 69% | JENNIFERGARNER | 14 | "Alias" actress whose real-life pregnancy was written into the show's plot: 2 wds. |
| 69% | EMILYDESCHANEL | 14 | "Bones" actress whose real-life pregnancy was written into the show's plot: 2 wds. |
| 69% | JULIALOUIS | 10 | ___-Dreyfus, actress who played Elaine Benes on the show "Seinfeld": 2 wds. |
| 67% | LEADOUT | 7 | Show to the door: 2 wds. |
| 67% | WEA | 3 | "Aren't ___ little late for the show?" ("We will miss the beginning"): 2 wds. |
| 66% | KENYABARRIS | 11 | Creator of "Black-ish" who based the show on his real-life family: 2 wds. |
| 65% | CRISTINAYANG | 12 | 14-Across character played by Sandra Oh, who left the show after 10 seasons: 2 wds. |
| 65% | MARLOTHOMAS | 11 | "That Girl" actress who created a stir when she went braless on the show: 2 wds. |
| 65% | OKLAHOMACITY | 12 | The NBA's Thunder: 2 wds. |
| 64% | ANDYSAMBERG | 11 | "Saturday Night Live" cast member who recently ended his seven-year run with the show: 2 wds. |
| 64% | KRISTENWIIG | 11 | "Saturday Night Live" cast member who recently ended her seven-year run with the show: 2 wds. |
| 64% | ACTI | 4 | Show's first part: 2 wds. |
| 62% | GOTUP | 5 | Started the day (2 wds.) |
| 62% | HITIT | 5 | Bandleader's starting shout: 2 wds. |
| 62% | BASECAMP | 8 | Mountaineer's starting point: 2 wds. |
| 62% | COLBERTREPORT | 13 | "The ___" (Stephen's "truthiness" show): 2 wds. |
| 62% | JIMMYFALLON | 11 | "The Tonight Show" host on the air starting in 2014: 2 wds. |
| 61% | ITSON | 5 | "The show's starting!" |
| 61% | ALYSONHANNIGAN | 14 | "How I Met Your Mother" actress whose real-life pregnancy was written into the show's plot: 2 wds. |
| 61% | DEAL | 4 | Start of the title of Howie's game show |
| 59% | HITIT | 5 | Bandleader's "Start playing!": 2 wds. |
| 58% | ISEE | 4 | 2 wds to show understanding of something |
| 58% | OPENS | 5 | Starts the show |
| 58% | WHOSFIRST | 9 | Teacher's question at the start of show-and-tell |