| 100% | DIAMONDS | 8 | __ are Forever, a gem of a hit for Shirley Bassey |
| 48% | LOVELY | 6 | Hit song by Khalid and Billie Eilish which is a part of the soundtrack for "13 Reasons Why" |
| 47% | LIES | 4 | "Love ___," hit song by Khalid and Normani which is a part of the soundtrack for "Love, Simon" |
| 46% | ROAR | 4 | Hit song by Katy Perry that was nominated for a Grammy for Song of the Year in 2014 |
| 46% | FIREWORK | 8 | Hit song by Katy Perry that was nominated for a Grammy for Record of the Year in 2012 |
| 45% | OPAL | 4 | Apt name for a gem of a person |
| 45% | EACHCLUEIN | 10 | First part of a hit for this crossword |
| 44% | ALWAYSLOVEYOU | 13 | "I Will ___," number-one hit by Whitney Houston recorded for "The Bodyguard" which is a cover of a Dolly Parton song: 3 wds. |
| 43% | OPAL | 4 | A translucent gem that is the national gem of Australia |
| 42% | OZEKI | 5 | Ruth, writer of A Tale For The Time Being |
| 42% | ANALOGY | 7 | "Life is like a box of chocolates," for example |
| 41% | EARLYTOBED | 10 | Start of a proverb for which Ben Franklin is credited |
| 41% | PAPA | 4 | "___ Was a Rollin' Stone" (#1 hit for the Temptations) |
| 41% | PAPA | 4 | "___ Was a Rollin' Stone" (1972 hit for the Temptations) |
| 41% | EDM | 3 | Techno is a subgenre of it, for short |
| 41% | TREATMENT | 9 | Diuretics is a type of __ for heart problems |
| 41% | YMCA | 4 | Song that was a hit for a spell in the 1970s? |
| 41% | THUNDERROAD | 11 | "Thoroughfare" song that was a hit for Bruce Springsteen (2 wds.) |
| 41% | FREEWAYOFLOVE | 13 | "Thoroughfare" song that was a hit for Aretha Franklin (3 wds.) |
| 41% | BAKERSTREET | 11 | "Thoroughfare" song that was a hit for Gerry Rafferty (2 wds.) |
| 41% | SHEDDERPANTYHOSE | 16 | Nylon tights for people who are losing a lot of weight? |
| 41% | WHITER | 6 | A __ Shade of Pale; 1967 hit for Procol Harum |
| 41% | ADD | 3 | Hyperactivity may be a sign of it, for short |
| 41% | PTSD | 4 | Shell shock is a form of it, for short |
| 41% | GREED | 5 | "___, for lack of a better word, is good" |
| 41% | IRAN | 4 | Iconic hit for A Flock of Seagulls |
| 40% | ROAM | 4 | B-52s hit whose title is a homophone of a national capital |
| 40% | NOW | 3 | "Both Sides, ___" (Joni Mitchell song that was a hit for Judy Collins) |
| 40% | MARYWELLS | 9 | Smokey Robinson's My Guy was a hit for her in 1964 |
| 40% | NINETEEN | 8 | Number of #1 hits for Mariah Carey, or a #4 Adele album |