| 100% | TRAVISBICKLE | 12 | 18-Across's character in "Taxi Driver": 2 wds. |
| 68% | DANNYTORRANCE | 13 | Psychic character in "The Shining" who's an adult in 18-Across: 2 wds. |
| 64% | TINYTIM | 7 | Young character in 18-/41-Across' "A Christmas Carol": 2 wds. |
| 62% | JAMESCORDEN | 11 | "The Late Late Show" host who voices the title character in 18-Across: 2 wds. |
| 61% | ANTHONYRAMOS | 12 | "A Star Is Born" actor who plays Usnavi, the lead character in 18-Across: 2 wds. |
| 58% | SHOELESSJOE | 11 | Nickname of "Black Sox" outfielder Jackson who's a character in 18-Across and 32-Across: 2 wds. |
| 55% | SARAHPALIN | 10 | 18-Across's presidential running mate in 2008: 2 wds. |
| 55% | JOHNMCCLANE | 11 | Bruce Willis's character in five cop movies: 2 wds. |
| 55% | HARRYCALLAHAN | 13 | Clint Eastwood's character in five cop movies: 2 wds. |
| 55% | MARTINRIGGS | 11 | Mel Gibson's character in four cop movies: 2 wds. |
| 55% | BICKLE | 6 | Travis __, Robert De Niro character in Taxi Driver |
| 53% | NONAME | 6 | "The Man with ___," Eastwood's character in the "Dollars Trilogy": 2 wds. |
| 53% | IRONMAN | 7 | Robert Downey Jr.'s character in "The Avengers": 2 wds. |
| 52% | ACAB | 4 | Hail ___ (signal the taxi driver): 2 wds. |
| 52% | ROBERTDENIRO | 12 | "Joy" actor who plays the title character in 18-Across: 3 wds. |
| 52% | ACAB | 4 | Hail ___ (beckon to the taxi driver): 2 wds. |
| 51% | IANMALCOLM | 10 | Actor Jeff Goldblum's character in 26a who is a mathematician and chaos theorist: 2 wds. |
| 51% | KARENFUKUHARA | 13 | "Suicide Squad" actress who voices the title character in 14-/32-Across: 2 wds. |
| 51% | KENNETHBRANAGH | 14 | Actor who directed and played the title character in 1996's "Hamlet": 2 wds. |
| 50% | TARONEGERTON | 12 | "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" actor who plays the title character in 16-Across: 2 wds. |
| 50% | SARAHPAULSON | 12 | "American Horror Story" actress who plays the title character in Netflix's "Ratched": 2 wds. |
| 49% | JOSEPHCOTTEN | 12 | Actor who played a reporter and friend of the title character in 17-Across: 2 wds. |
| 49% | LEADROLES | 9 | Main characters in a movie: 2 wds. |
| 49% | BLACKSABBATH | 12 | 18-Across's band: 2 wds. |
| 49% | SHEREKHAN | 9 | Idris Elba's character in "The Jungle Book" (2 wds.) |
| 49% | LEAMICHELE | 10 | "Glee" star who played the main character in the 2022 Broadway revival of 15-Across: 2 wds. |
| 48% | GOA | 3 | "Can you ___ little faster?" (what you may tell your taxi driver): 2 wds. |
| 48% | MANDYPATINKIN | 13 | "The Princess Bride" actor who played the love interest of Barbra Streisand's character in 1983's "Yentl": 2 wds. |
| 48% | SUSANSARANDON | 13 | 18-Across and 43-Across actress who plays Carla's mother in "A Bad Moms Christmas" (2 wds.) |
| 47% | REXRYAN | 7 | NFL head coach who recruited 18-Across in 2009: 2 wds. |