| 100% | ITSON | 5 | "The show just started!": 2 wds. |
| 75% | ASEAT | 5 | "Take ___, the show's about to start!" ("Sit down!"): 2 wds. |
| 68% | ITSON | 5 | "The show's starting!" (2 wds.) |
| 61% | BUFFALOBOB | 10 | Host of the show featuring 18-Across: 2 wds. |
| 59% | JULIALOUIS | 10 | ___-Dreyfus, actress who played Elaine Benes on the show "Seinfeld": 2 wds. |
| 57% | LEADOUT | 7 | Show to the door: 2 wds. |
| 57% | WEA | 3 | "Aren't ___ little late for the show?" ("We will miss the beginning"): 2 wds. |
| 56% | KENYABARRIS | 11 | Creator of "Black-ish" who based the show on his real-life family: 2 wds. |
| 55% | CRISTINAYANG | 12 | 14-Across character played by Sandra Oh, who left the show after 10 seasons: 2 wds. |
| 55% | FRIDAYNIGHT | 11 | NBC's "___ Lights," the show which could continue only post a deal with DirecTV: 2 wds. |
| 55% | MARLOTHOMAS | 11 | "That Girl" actress who created a stir when she went braless on the show: 2 wds. |
| 54% | ANDYSAMBERG | 11 | "Saturday Night Live" cast member who recently ended his seven-year run with the show: 2 wds. |
| 54% | KRISTENWIIG | 11 | "Saturday Night Live" cast member who recently ended her seven-year run with the show: 2 wds. |
| 54% | TIPOF | 5 | Just the ___ the iceberg: 2 wds. |
| 54% | ACOG | 4 | Just ___ in the machine: 2 wds. |
| 53% | GOTUP | 5 | Started the day (2 wds.) |
| 52% | JIMMYFALLON | 11 | "The Tonight Show" host on the air starting in 2014: 2 wds. |
| 50% | GEORGECOSTANZA | 14 | Character who is Jerry's best friend since high school and is played by Jason Alexander on the show "Seinfeld": 2 wds. |
| 50% | ISEE | 4 | 2 wds to show understanding of something |
| 49% | OPENS | 5 | Starts the show |
| 49% | JENNIFERGARNER | 14 | "Alias" actress whose real-life pregnancy was written into the show's plot: 2 wds. |
| 49% | EMILYDESCHANEL | 14 | "Bones" actress whose real-life pregnancy was written into the show's plot: 2 wds. |
| 48% | ABIT | 4 | Just slightly: 2 wds. |
| 48% | NEWIN | 5 | Just arrived: 2 wds. |
| 48% | ATAD | 4 | Just barely: 2 wds. |
| 48% | NOTOK | 5 | Just wrong: 2 wds. |
| 48% | SITSUP | 6 | Shows interest: 2 wds. |
| 48% | ONEBC | 5 | Year just before the AD period began: 2 wds. |
| 48% | BTEAM | 5 | They're not the starting squad: 2 wds. |
| 48% | KEVINLOVE | 9 | Starting forward for the 43-Across (2 wds.) |