| 100% | NEILGAIMAN | 10 | Award-winning novelist of "American Gods," 18-Across, 28-Across, and 34-Across who turns 59 today |
| 45% | DONDELILLO | 10 | American novelist who wrote "Mao II," 18-Across, 25-Across, and 34-Across (2 wds.) |
| 42% | BOBBYBROWN | 10 | Former member of 18-Across and singer of 30-Across who turns 50 years old today (2 wds.) |
| 41% | RICHARDPOWERS | 13 | Award-winning novelist of 18-Across and 44-Across (2 wds.) |
| 40% | EMILYHENRY | 10 | 18-Across, 26-Across, and 35-Across novelist who won the 2021, 2022, and 2023 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance (2 wds.) |
| 40% | CLINTBLACK | 10 | 18-Across, 26-Across, and 35-Across country singer who won four 1989 Academy of Country Music Awards, including Top Male Vocalist (2 wds.) |
| 39% | RALPHELLISON | 12 | 14-Across and 28-Across novelist who was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1985 (2 wds.) |
| 39% | NORTH | 5 | Offspring of 15- and 35-Across who turns 1 today |
| 38% | POSTMALONE | 10 | 18-Across, 27-Across, and 34-Across rapper whose "Rockstar" won the 2018 Billboard Music Award for Top Rap Song and the 2018 MTV Video Music Award for Song of the Year (2 wds.) |
| 36% | SARAPARETSKY | 12 | Bestselling novelist of 28-Across who created 18-Across (2 wds.) |
| 36% | NEILYOUNG | 9 | 15-Across, 20-Across, and 34-Across singer/songwriter who turns 75 years old today (2 wds.) |
| 35% | SIDNEYPOITIER | 13 | Star of 15- and 34-Across who won an Oscar for "Lilies of the Field": 2 wds. |
| 34% | TONIMORRISON | 12 | 18-Across and 32-Across novelist who won the 1993 Nobel Prize for Literature (2 wds.) |
| 34% | PAULMCCARTNEY | 13 | 15-Across and 31-Across singer/songwriter with 18 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and two inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame who turns 80 years old this week (2 wds.) |
| 34% | URSULAKLEGUIN | 13 | American novelist who won eight Hugo Awards and six Nebula Awards in a writing career that spanned six decades (4 wds.) |
| 34% | JUSTINTHOMAS | 12 | American pro golfer who won the 2017 PGA Championship, and posted a score of 59 in the same tournament: 2 wds. |
| 34% | LOUISEERDRICH | 13 | Native American novelist who wrote 18-Across, 44-Across, and 2020's "The Night Watchman" (2 wds.) |
| 34% | ROFL | 4 | Texter's expression spelled out by the starts of 18-, 28-, 46- and 59-Across |
| 33% | CHARLIZETHERON | 14 | 15-Across and 29-Across star who won a Best Actress Oscar for "Monster" and who turns 45 today (2 wds.) |
| 33% | JULIANFELLOWES | 14 | 18-Across and 44-Across writer/creator who won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for "Gosford Park" (2 wds.) |
| 33% | JUSTINBIEBER | 12 | Singer of 18-Across and 32-Across who turns 25 years old on March 1 (2 wds.) |
| 33% | BEVERLYCLEARY | 13 | Children's author of 18-Across and 30-Across who turned 102 on April 12 (2 wds.) |
| 33% | CARLOS | 6 | With 34-Across, Astros shortstop who won the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year Award |
| 33% | SHANNEN | 7 | With 37-Across, actress who played 18-Across, 43-Across, and Prue Halliwell on "Charmed," and who turns 50 years old today |
| 33% | FAYEKELLERMAN | 13 | "The Quality of Mercy" novelist who has written 27 mysteries featuring 18-Across and 40-Across (2 wds.) |
| 33% | BIRDMAN | 7 | Best Picture of 2014 ... or what 18-, 23-, 28-, 34-, 46- and 56-Across each is? |
| 33% | DRAKE | 5 | Singer of 15-Across, 28-Across, and 38-Across who was honored with the Artist of the Decade Award at the 2021 "Billboard" Music Awards |
| 33% | BRANDICARLILE | 13 | 18-Across and 42-Across singer who won a Best Country Song Grammy Award for "Bring My Flowers Now" (2 wds.) |
| 33% | SOLANGEKNOWLES | 14 | 12-Across and 28-Across singer who was the first recipient of the "Billboard" Women in Music Impact Award (2 wds.) |
| 33% | NNEDIOKORAFOR | 13 | 15-Across and 32-Across novelist who won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award for "Binti" (2 wds.) |