| 100% | GILLIANFLYNN | 12 | Author who wrote the novels from which 17-Across and 29-/31-Across were adapted: 2 wds. |
| 53% | RODERICKTHORP | 13 | Author who wrote "Nothing Lasts Forever," the novel on which movie in 17a was based: 2 wds. |
| 53% | MARIOPUZO | 9 | Author who wrote the novel 15-Across was based on: 2 wds. |
| 51% | CARLHIAASEN | 11 | "Squeeze Me" author who wrote the novel that 49-Across is based on (2 wds.) |
| 51% | IANMCEWAN | 9 | British author of the novel upon which 17-Across is based: 2 wds. |
| 50% | LAURALIPPMAN | 12 | Author of the 2019 novel "Lady in the Lake," which was adapted into an Apple TV+ miniseries starring 19-Across and 34-Across (2 wds.) |
| 49% | BEVERLYCLEARY | 13 | Children's author who wrote the novel "Ramona and Her Mother" (2 wds.) |
| 48% | ANGIETHOMAS | 11 | Novelist who wrote the Y.A. bestsellers 17-Across and 29-Across (2 wds.) |
| 48% | BILLCLINTON | 11 | U.S. president who wrote the novels "The President Is Missing" and "The President's Daughter" with 33-Across (2 wds.) |
| 48% | KARENBLIXEN | 11 | Danish author who wrote 17-Across and 30-Across under the pen name Isak Dinesen (2 wds.) |
| 47% | ALICEHOFFMAN | 12 | American novelist who has written 29 novels, including "The Dovekeepers," 14-Across, and 31-Across (2 wds.) |
| 46% | DANIELLESTEEL | 13 | American author who wrote "A Perfect Life" and is currently the bestselling author alive: 2 wds. |
| 46% | KAZUOISHIGURO | 13 | British novelist who wrote 19-Across and 31-Across and was awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature (2 wds.) |
| 45% | RUDYARDKIPLING | 14 | English author who wrote the children's literature at 18- and 41-Across: 2 wds. |
| 44% | LIANEMORIARTY | 13 | Author of the novel "Big Little Lies" which was adapted into an Emmy-winning TV series: 2 wds. |
| 44% | JASONREYNOLDS | 13 | Author who has written "Ghost," "Patina," and other novels for kids in the middle school years: 2 wds. |
| 43% | SARAHPOLLEY | 11 | "Away from Her" writer/director who wrote and directed the film adaptation of 28-Across, which debuted at the Toronto Film Festival this month (2 wds.) |
| 43% | CARRIEFISHER | 12 | Author who wrote the film adaptation of her own "Postcards From the Edge": 2 wds. |
| 43% | NICKHORNBY | 10 | British author who wrote "About a Boy," 16-Across, and 31-Across (2 wds.) |
| 43% | NAUGHTYDOG | 10 | Video game company that created the "Uncharted" action-adventure game series, which has been adapted into a film starring Antonio Banderas, 31-Across, and 43-Across (2 wds.) |
| 43% | STEPHENCHBOSKY | 14 | Author who wrote the film adaptation of his own "The Perks of Being a Wallflower": 2 wds. |
| 42% | UPSIDEDOWN | 10 | An 80s hit by Diana Ross from her tenth album "Diana" and which was written by the duo from "Chic": 2 wds. |
| 41% | RICHARDRUSSO | 12 | Author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "Empire Falls" and 17-Across (2 wds.) |
| 41% | JOHNUPDIKE | 10 | Author of the Rabbit series who wrote the 1988 novel "S.": 2 wds. |
| 41% | JESSICABRUDER | 13 | Journalist who wrote the nonfiction bestseller 45-Across, which is subtitled "Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century" (2 wds.) |
| 41% | ARIANAGRANDE | 12 | 17-Across and 39-Across singer who was named Billboard's 2018 Woman of the Year (2 wds.) |
| 41% | LEIGHBARDUGO | 12 | American novelist who wrote 17-Across, 40-Across, and the "Shadow and Bone" trilogy (2 wds.) |
| 41% | LEAMICHELE | 10 | Actress who plays 17-Across' girlfriend and was 29-Across' girlfriend in real life: 2 wds. |
| 41% | NEVERLET | 8 | "___ Me Go," 2005 novel by Kazuo Ishiguro for which he won the ALA Alex Award and which was also adapted into a movie: 2 wds. |
| 41% | RICHARDRUSSO | 12 | Writer of 17-Across, 36-Across, and the 2019 novel "Chances Are ... " (2 wds.) |