| 100% | SKIER | 5 | Athlete whose career is going downhill? |
| 59% | SKINSTRUCTOR | 12 | One whose work is going downhill? |
| 59% | SKIBUM | 6 | One whose life is going downhill? |
| 46% | SKIERS | 6 | Their business is going downhill |
| 46% | SKILESSONS | 10 | Classes that are going downhill? |
| 44% | STRIPSHOW | 9 | Performance by one whose career is taking off |
| 43% | ARMANI | 6 | Famed designer whose career was boosted by "American Gigolo" |
| 43% | OILER | 5 | Athlete whose home ice is Rogers Place |
| 42% | UTE | 3 | Athlete whose mascot is Swoop the red-tailed hawk |
| 42% | JERRYWEST | 9 | Athlete whose silhouette is used in the NBA logo |
| 41% | ORR | 3 | Boston athlete whose #4 jersey has been retired |
| 40% | PELE | 4 | One-named athlete whose real first name is Edson |
| 40% | ACROBAT | 7 | Professional whose career, on balance, might be pretty good? |
| 40% | SCUBADIVER | 10 | Sort whose business is going way down? |
| 40% | JONNY | 5 | & 13D Rugby union scrum-half whose career was spent with Worcester Warriors, 2007-19 |
| 39% | NADAL | 5 | Decorated athlete whose name could be parsed as "zero" + "loss" |
| 39% | IOWA | 4 | University whose athletes are the Hawkeyes |
| 38% | ASTRO | 5 | Pro athlete whose mascot is an orange-capped alien |
| 38% | DUKE | 4 | University whose athletes are the Blue Devils |
| 38% | TECH | 4 | Virginia ___ (school whose athletes are the Hokies) |
| 38% | UVA | 3 | Sch. whose athletes are nicknamed the Hoos |
| 38% | USC | 3 | School whose athletes are the Trojans: Abbr. |
| 38% | UCLA | 4 | School whose athletes are called Bruins: Abbr. |
| 38% | UCLA | 4 | School whose athletes are the Bruins: Abbr. |
| 38% | BBKING | 6 | "The Thrill Is Gone" bluesman whose guitar was nicknamed Lucille: 3 wds. |
| 38% | THORPE | 6 | Athlete Jim whose Native American name was Wa-Tho-Huk |
| 37% | UNC | 3 | School whose athletes are the Tar Heels: Abbr. |
| 37% | UMASS | 5 | Sch. whose athletes are the Minutemen and Minutewomen |
| 37% | LUKADONCIC | 10 | Athlete whose February 2025 trade is considered one of the "most shocking" in NBA history |
| 37% | UVA | 3 | School in Charlottesville whose athletes are the Cavaliers: Abbr. |