| 100% | JASONREYNOLDS | 13 | Author who has written "Ghost," "Patina," and other novels for kids in the middle school years: 2 wds. |
| 40% | SALLYFIELD | 10 | Actress who had a 28-year gap between Oscar nominations for 1984's "Places in the Heart" and 2012's "Lincoln": 2 wds. |
| 40% | GILLIANFLYNN | 12 | Author who wrote the novels from which 17-Across and 29-/31-Across were adapted: 2 wds. |
| 38% | SIDNEYSHELDON | 13 | American author who wrote "If Tomorrow Comes", and won an Academy Award for "The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer": 2 wds. |
| 38% | BEVERLYCLEARY | 13 | Children's author who wrote the novel "Ramona and Her Mother" (2 wds.) |
| 37% | JOANNEROWLING | 13 | Author of the "Harry Potter" series who has written novels under the pen name Robert Galbraith: 2 wds. |
| 36% | MARIOPUZO | 9 | Author who wrote the novel 15-Across was based on: 2 wds. |
| 36% | JIMTHORPE | 9 | American athlete who won a gold for decathlon at the 1912 Olympics, and has spent 7 years in MLB and 13 in APFA (now NFL): 2 wds. |
| 36% | ALICEHOFFMAN | 12 | American novelist who has written 29 novels, including "The Dovekeepers," 14-Across, and 31-Across (2 wds.) |
| 36% | MARGARETATWOOD | 14 | Author who won the Booker Prize for "The Blind Assassin" and "The Testaments": 2 wds. |
| 36% | SALMANRUSHDIE | 13 | Author who won the Man Booker Prize in 1981 for "Midnight's Children": 2 wds. |
| 36% | NICKIMINAJ | 10 | "Anaconda" singer who has lived in both Trinidad and the US: 2 wds. |
| 35% | SEANKINGSTON | 12 | "Beautiful Girls" singer who has lived in both Jamaica and the US: 2 wds. |
| 35% | RODERICKTHORP | 13 | Author who wrote "Nothing Lasts Forever," the novel on which movie in 17a was based: 2 wds. |
| 35% | WYCLEFJEAN | 10 | "Gone Till November" rapper who has lived in both Haiti and the US: 2 wds. |
| 35% | RUDYARDKIPLING | 14 | English author who wrote the children's literature at 18- and 41-Across: 2 wds. |
| 35% | BEVERLYCLEARY | 13 | Children's author of 18-Across and 30-Across who has a public school named for her in Portland, Oregon (2 wds.) |
| 35% | KIRKDOUGLAS | 11 | Hollywood's famous centenarian who has acted in movies like "Ace in the Hole" and "Spartacus": 2 wds. |
| 35% | ORSONSCOTTCARD | 14 | "Ender's Game" author who won a Hugo and a Nebula in the same year, twice: 3 wds. |
| 35% | ARTHURCCLARKE | 13 | "Rendezvous With Rama" author who won a Hugo and a Nebula in the same year, twice: 3 wds. |
| 35% | JOHNUPDIKE | 10 | "Rabbit, Run" author who received the American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal in 2007: 2 wds. |
| 35% | CARLFRIEDRICH | 13 | German mathematician Gauss, who has numerous contributions in mathematics, astronomy, and many other fields: 2 wds |
| 35% | DANIELLESTEEL | 13 | American author who wrote "A Perfect Life" and is currently the bestselling author alive: 2 wds. |
| 34% | TONIMORRISON | 12 | "Beloved" author who received the American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal in 2019: 2 wds. |
| 34% | CARTLAND | 8 | English author Barbara, who wrote "The Wicked Marquis", and is referenced in the Guinness World Records for most novels published in a year |
| 34% | BILLBLACKBURN | 13 | Actor who was originally named William and played Lt Hadley, and had other uncredited roles in "Star Trek: The Original Series": 2 wds. |
| 34% | PAUL | 4 | ___ Newman, actor who has 2 Oscar nominations for the same character, in "The Hustler" and "The Color of Money" |
| 33% | STEVIEWONDER | 12 | American artist who has won the Grammy thrice for "Best Album of the Year," including one for "Innervisions": 2 wds. |
| 33% | JANELLEMONAE | 12 | Actress in the Best Picture winner "Moonlight" who was nominated for an Album of the Year Grammy in 2019: 2 wds. |
| 33% | RICHARDHARRIS | 13 | Actor in the Best Picture winner "Unforgiven" who was nominated for an Album of the Year Grammy in 1968: 2 wds. |