| 100% | HARLEMSHUFFLE | 13 | 2021 Colson Whitehead novel about a furniture salesman drawn into a life of crime: 2 wds. |
| 36% | MRSDALLOWAY | 11 | Virginia Woolf's novel about a day in the life of a woman in England post World War I: 2 wds. |
| 34% | SALEMSLOT | 9 | Stephen King novel about a town of vampires: 2 wds. |
| 34% | THESTAND | 8 | Stephen King novel about a group of people who survive a worldwide pandemic: 2 wds. |
| 34% | WILLTRENT | 9 | ABC crime drama about a special agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation: 2 wds. |
| 33% | FLIGHTBEHAVIOR | 14 | 2012 Barbara Kingsolver novel about a colony of butterflies in Tennessee: 2 wds. |
| 33% | HARLEMSHUFFLE | 13 | 2021 Colson Whitehead novel set in New York City (2 wds.) |
| 33% | JOHNHENRYDAYS | 13 | 2001 Colson Whitehead novel, about a historical festival, that was short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize: 3 wds. |
| 32% | ALICEWALKER | 11 | Author of the 1982 novel "The Color Purple," which was made into a 1985 movie: 2 wds. |
| 31% | SHUTTERISLAND | 13 | 2003 18-Across novel about a mental hospital that was made into a 2010 Leonardo DiCaprio film: 2 wds. |
| 31% | BREAKINGBAD | 11 | TV show about a high school teacher turning to a life of crime which is ranked 3rd on Rolling Stone's 2016 list of "100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time": 2 wds. |
| 31% | DENNISLEHANE | 12 | Author of the 2001 novel "Mystic River" that was made into a 2003 Sean Penn film: 2 wds. |
| 31% | KANYEWEST | 9 | "The Life of Pablo" rapper who was into art and poetry before becoming a musician: 2 wds. |
| 30% | CROOKMANIFESTO | 14 | 2023 Colson Whitehead novel that's a sequel to 47-Across (2 wds.) |
| 30% | MIND | 4 | “The Life of the ___,” Christine Smallwood novel about lost opportunities to become a mother and professor (March, 2021) |
| 30% | THE{NICKEL}BOYS | 15 | Pulitzer-winning Colson Whitehead novel about a reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida |
| 30% | TESSMONAGHAN | 12 | Reporter-turned-investigator in a series of crime novels by 44-Across (2 wds.) |
| 30% | GALAXYQUEST | 11 | 1999 movie about a group of actors who fight real-life aliens: 2 wds. |
| 30% | THREEAMIGOS | 11 | 1986 movie about a group of actors who fight real-life banditos: 2 wds. |
| 30% | ANXIOUSPEOPLE | 13 | 2020 best-selling novel about a group held hostage by a bank robber: 2 wds. |
| 30% | MORTALKOMBAT | 12 | Fighting video game adapted into a series of films: 2 wds. |
| 30% | TIGEREYES | 9 | Young adult novel by 38-Across about a girl coping with the death of her father (2 wds.) |
| 29% | CORMACMCCARTHY | 14 | Author of the 2005 novel "No Country for Old Men," which was made into a Best Picture-winning movie: 2 wds. |
| 29% | CONCRETEROSE | 12 | 2021 bestselling novel by Angie Thomas that is a prequel of 13-Across (2 wds.) |
| 29% | JURASSICPARK | 12 | 1993 sci-fi adventure film about cloned dinosaurs which was based on a Michael Crichton novel of the same name: 2 wds. |
| 29% | THENICKELBOYS | 13 | Colson Whitehead novel set in a Florida reform school (3 wds.) |
| 29% | JOHNHENRYDAYS | 13 | Colson Whitehead novel set at a West Virginia festival (3 wds.) |
| 29% | FLYINGANGELS | 12 | 2021 Danielle Steel novel about World War II nurses: 2 wds. |
| 29% | TROPICTHUNDER | 13 | 2008 movie about a group of actors who fight in a real-life war: 2 wds. |
| 29% | DANSTEVENS | 10 | Portrayer of Charles Dickens in "The Man Who Invented Christmas" who's a big fan of Dickens novels in real life: 2 wds. |