| 100% | AGONY | 5 | "The thrill of victory and the ___ of defeat" ("Wide World of Sports" intro) |
| 97% | AGONY | 5 | "The thrill of victory, and the ___ of defeat" ("ABC's Wide World of Sports" intro) |
| 89% | AGONY | 5 | "The thrill of victory and the ___ of defeat" ("Wide World of Sports" opening words) |
| 88% | AGONY | 5 | "The thrill of victory … and the ___ of defeat" ("Wide World of Sports" catchphrase) |
| 65% | AGONY | 5 | "The thrill of victory and the ___ of defeat" |
| 56% | AGONY | 5 | "... the __ of defeat": "Wide World of Sports" phrase |
| 54% | DEFEAT | 6 | "The thrill of victory and the agony of ___" |
| 46% | JIMTHORPE | 9 | The Greatest Athlete of the 20th Century, according to an ABC Wide World of Sports poll in 2001: 2 wds. |
| 43% | DEFEAT | 6 | Thrill of victory, the agony of __ |
| 41% | MCKAY | 5 | Longtime "ABC's Wide World of Sports" host |
| 40% | RICHARDNIXON | 12 | Former U.S. president who wrote "In the Arena: A Memoir of Victory, Defeat, and Renewal" (2 wds.) |
| 40% | FRANKGIFFORD | 12 | Giants halfback and wide receiver in the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: 2 wds. |
| 39% | TELEOLOGY | 9 | The study of design and purpose in material world |
| 39% | CHOKE | 5 | Snatch defeat from the jaws of victory |
| 39% | ACURAS | 6 | ZDX, MDX and RDX of the auto world |
| 38% | LOSER | 5 | One snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, say |
| 38% | ENG | 3 | Host and winner of the 1966 World Cup: Abbr. |
| 38% | ATOMSMASHER | 11 | The world's largest one straddles the border of France and Switzerland |
| 37% | WWE | 3 | Sports entertainment company associated with the likes of Yokozuna and Hulk Hogan: Abbr. |
| 37% | BOLT | 4 | Usain ___, athlete who won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2017 |
| 37% | TAROT | 5 | Holder of The Sun and The World |
| 37% | MCKAY | 5 | "Wide World of Sports" host Jim |
| 37% | ROONE | 5 | "Wide World of Sports" creator Arledge |
| 37% | NOVAK | 5 | ___ Djokovic, tennis player who won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year in 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2019 |
| 37% | MALIEMPIRE | 10 | The sport of boxing in the 1960s and '70s, essentially? |
| 36% | SPIELBERG | 9 | Director of Jurassic Park and The Lost World |
| 36% | ANGST | 5 | Feeling of worry and dread at the world |
| 36% | MCKAY | 5 | Jim of "Wide World of Sports" |
| 36% | DOHA | 4 | Qatar's capital and host of the 2025 World Table Tennis Championships Finals |
| 36% | FEDERER | 7 | Roger ___, tennis player who won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the year in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2018 |