| 100% | MASSAS | 6 | "We attended the Sunday ___ husband and wife for the first time." (Church service): 2 wds. |
| 45% | DAWNEDON | 8 | Realised it for the first time: 2 wds. |
| 42% | MYFRIENDIRMA | 12 | 1949 comedy film starring 17-Across and 39-Across together for the first time (3 wds.) |
| 41% | CYNDILAUPER | 11 | "Time After Time" singer who wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical "Kinky Boots": 2 wds. |
| 41% | ERNIEBANKS | 10 | Negro Leaguer who played first base and shortstop for the Cubs (1953-1971): 2 wds. |
| 41% | IDO | 3 | Phrase you say before the priest pronounces you husband and wife: 2 wds. |
| 41% | JOSEFELICIANO | 13 | His 1970 song "Feliz Navidad" hit the top 10 for the first time ever in 2020: 2 wds. |
| 41% | CHUCKBERRY | 10 | His 1958 song "Run Rudolph Run" hit the top 10 for the first time ever in 2021: 2 wds. |
| 40% | ABRAHAMLINCOLN | 14 | President who signed the Yosemite Valley Grant Act in 1864, setting aside land for preservation for the first time: 2 wds. |
| 40% | JAMESBOND | 9 | British spy played by 33-Across for the first time in 48-Across (2 wds.) |
| 39% | WOMENSWORLDCUP | 14 | FIFA event held for the first time in 1991 (3 wds.) |
| 38% | PRIMETIME | 9 | 8 to 11 p.m., for TV programming in the eastern and western US: 2 wds. |
| 38% | GWENJORGENSEN | 13 | American distance runner and two-time ITU World Champion who was the first to win a triathlon gold for USA in the Olympics: 2 wds. |
| 38% | DEANMARTIN | 10 | His 1959 song "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" hit the top 10 for the first time ever in 2021: 2 wds. |
| 38% | ANGELAMERKEL | 12 | First and only female chancellor of Germany (2005-present), and Time's 2015 Person of the Year: 2 wds. |
| 38% | AVADUVERNAY | 11 | "When They See Us" director whose first name is spelled the same forward and backward: 2 wds. |
| 38% | SPORTCLIMBING | 13 | Discipline that will be a medal event for the first time at the 38-Across Olympics (2 wds.) |
| 37% | FUZZYZOELLER | 12 | Pro golfer who won the Masters his first time out and who is "catching some Z's": 2 wds. |
| 37% | SAMSMITH | 8 | "Stay With Me" singer who was a first-time Grammy nominee for Record of the Year (and won): 2 wds. |
| 37% | CLINTDEMPSEY | 12 | Soccer player who achieved a hat trick for the US Men's National Team in 2015 and 2017: 2 wds. |
| 37% | STANLEYTUCCI | 12 | Two time Emmy winner for his films "Winchell" and "Monk", who plays the role of Merlin, in 30a : 2 wds. |
| 37% | INOW | 4 | "___ pronounce you husband and wife": 2 wds. |
| 37% | INOW | 4 | "___ pronounce you husband and wife...": 2 wds. |
| 37% | INOW | 4 | "___ pronounce you husband and wife ...": 2 wds. |
| 36% | MELISSAARNOT | 12 | Mountaineer who climbed Mount Everest six times and became the first woman to survive a descent without supplemental oxygen: 2 wds. |
| 36% | SOONG | 5 | ___ Mei-ling, former First Lady of China who was the TIME "Man and Wife of the Year" in 1937 along with her husband Chiang Kai-shek |
| 36% | NLEAST | 6 | Division for the Phillies and Mets: 2 wds., abbr. |
| 36% | GETME | 5 | "___ to the Church on Time": 2 wds. |
| 36% | EATMYSHORTS | 11 | Catchphrase improvised by Nancy Cartwright for the first time on 28-Across (3 wds.) |
| 36% | WAYNEGRETZKY | 12 | Hockey legend who was the first since Bobby Orr to tally 100+ assists in a season, and did so 11 times: 2 wds. |