| 100% | ZADOK | 5 | 1727 work; first of the four Coronation Anthems by George Frideric Handel |
| 35% | ZADOK | 5 | One of Handel's coronation (for King George II) anthems: "___ the Priest" |
| 35% | WATERMUSIC | 10 | Collection of pieces by George Frideric Handel that premiered in 1717 |
| 34% | EMERALDS | 8 | First act of the ballet "Jewels," by George |
| 33% | VALLEY | 6 | "The Mystery of the Sasassa ___," first published work by Arthur Conan Doyle |
| 33% | DEIDAMIA | 8 | 1741 opera by George Frideric Handel |
| 33% | MATTHEW | 7 | First of the four Gospels in the New Testament |
| 30% | BRAD | 4 | With 59-Down, star of the work revealed by the first letters of the Across clues, which hint at this puzzle's theme |
| 30% | UTAH | 4 | Largest of the four-letter states, by size |
| 29% | TEN | 3 | Sum of the first four positive integers |
| 29% | WOMEN | 5 | "Little ___," written by Louisa May Alcott, following the lives of four sisters, whose first part is set during the Christmas period |
| 29% | FIG | 3 | One of the first fruits cultivated by humans |
| 28% | SOFTG | 5 | The first or fifth letter of George |
| 28% | AIDA | 4 | Work commissioned by the khedive of Egypt |
| 28% | GOSPEL | 6 | Any of the first four books of the New Testament |
| 28% | USSR | 4 | Acronym aptly made of the first four letters of "Russia" |
| 28% | ATHOS | 5 | One of the Three Musketeers in works by Alexandre Dumas |
| 28% | NEW | 3 | First word in the names of four states |
| 28% | EDIT | 4 | Work on the first draft of an article |
| 28% | BROW | 4 | By the sweat of your __; with hard work |
| 28% | ALGIERS | 7 | The Women of __, works by Picasso and Delacroix |
| 28% | MONDAY | 6 | First day of the work week |
| 27% | JOHNBELUSHI | 11 | Star of the first four seasons of 48-Down: 2 wds. |
| 27% | AMY | 3 | __ Beach, composer of the first symphony composed by an American woman |
| 27% | TOY | 3 | First word in the titles of four Pixar movies |
| 27% | JUNGLE | 6 | George of the __ animated series inspired by Tarzan |
| 27% | BAROQUE | 7 | Like the works of Handel and Bach |
| 27% | MON | 3 | First day of the work week: Abbr. |