| 100% | POC | 3 | Abbreviation with a variant preceded by “BI” that gained popularity in the summer of 2020 |
| 39% | LUCY | 4 | "___ in the Sky with Diamonds," 1967 song by The Beatles which was inspired by a drawing that Lennon's son made of his classmate |
| 36% | MAM | 3 | The org. that created outrage in 2015 by acquiring "Eggs Benedict", a portrait of the Pope made with colorful condoms (abbr.) |
| 36% | SUNROOF | 7 | The top of a car that can be opened in summer |
| 36% | EBWHITE | 7 | Author whose last name's first letter, followed by the two initials that precede his last name, form a word in one of his most famous titles |
| 36% | COG | 3 | ___ in the machine, phrase associated with machines that means "small part of a large organization" |
| 35% | SADDLE | 6 | "Back in the ___," 1976 song by Aerosmith that features the sounds of a galloping horse |
| 35% | CAPO | 4 | Rank in the mafia that heads a crew of soldiers, once held by 18-Across |
| 35% | TAHOE | 5 | California freshwater lake with a name that translates to "edge of the lake" in Washoe |
| 35% | PHO | 3 | Vietnamese dish that gained popularity in the US in the 1990s |
| 35% | CDROM | 5 | Circular optical storage device that gained popularity in the 90s: Hyph. |
| 35% | JUNIPEROSERRA | 13 | *18th-century missionary with a statue in Golden Gate Park that was toppled by protesters in 2020 |
| 35% | NICOBAR | 7 | — Islands, chain in the Indian Ocean that form, with the Andaman Islands, a Union Territory of India |
| 35% | ASHE | 4 | ___ Stadium, venue with a cushioned acrylic surface that is the largest of its type in the world |
| 35% | DEAL | 4 | Word that appears twice in the name of a game show hosted by Howie Mandel |
| 34% | GRAND | 5 | ___ Canyon, iconic location in the USA that was designated as a Natural Wonder of the World by CNN |
| 34% | CROUCHEND | 9 | Area in the London Borough of Haringey that shares its name with a 1980 Stephen King short story |
| 34% | BOBBYRYDELL | 11 | "Volare" singer who was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2020 (2 wds.) |
| 34% | CANDLE | 6 | "___ in the Wind 1997," charity single by Elton John that was rewritten as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales |
| 34% | SIDEWALKCHALK | 13 | 2020 addition to the Toy Hall of Fame that may be sold in a bucket (2 wds.) |
| 34% | YAKETYYAK | 9 | Lyric that precedes “don’t talk back” in a 1958 hit song by the Coasters |
| 34% | ELVISCOSTELLO | 13 | "Veronica" new wave singer who was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2020 (2 wds.) |
| 34% | TANYATUCKER | 11 | "Delta Dawn" country singer who was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2020 (2 wds.) |
| 33% | PINCENEZ | 8 | Pair of glasses without arms held in place by a clip that fits over the nose |
| 33% | CASCA | 5 | Roman soldier in a series of novels by Barry Sadler beginning with 1979's The Eternal Mercenary |
| 33% | SAND | 4 | "Love Letters in the ___," song with an ocean-related word in the title, a version of which was sung by Pat Boone |
| 33% | SAND | 4 | "Love Letters in the ___," song with an ocean-related word in the title, a version of which was sang by Pat Boone |
| 33% | TRADE | 5 | The "T" of WTUL that coordinated a strike by 20,000 women in 1909 in New York's garment district |
| 33% | ROAR | 4 | Hit song by Katy Perry that was nominated for a Grammy for Song of the Year in 2014 |
| 33% | FIREWORK | 8 | Hit song by Katy Perry that was nominated for a Grammy for Record of the Year in 2012 |