| 100% | DAFFYDUCK | 9 | Best friend and occasional rival of 15-Across, the iconic black duck from "Looney Tunes": 2 wds. |
| 44% | MELBLANC | 8 | The voice of 15-Across and many other Looney Tunes characters: 2 wds. |
| 39% | BUGSBUNNY | 9 | Official mascot of Warner Bros., the iconic gray hare from "Looney Tunes": 2 wds. |
| 34% | SIDNEYPOITIER | 13 | Star of 15- and 34-Across who won an Oscar for "Lilies of the Field": 2 wds. |
| 33% | ELMERFUDD | 9 | Looney Tunes character who chases the "wabbit" 15-Across (2 wds.) |
| 33% | YOSEMITESAM | 11 | Looney Tunes character who chases the "varmint" 15-Across (2 wds.) |
| 32% | SIDNEYPOITIER | 13 | 15-Across, 30-Across, and "Lilies of the Field" star who was the first Black man to win an Academy Award for Best Actor (2 wds.) |
| 32% | MENATWORK | 9 | 15-Across and 33-Across rock band from Australia that won Best New Artist at the 1983 Grammy Awards (3 wds.) |
| 32% | BRITNEYSPEARS | 13 | Singer of 15-Across and 50-Across known as the "Princess of Pop" (2 wds.) |
| 30% | MAEJEMISON | 10 | The first Black female astronaut and winner of a National Achievement Scholarship in 1973: 2 wds. |
| 29% | ANATOLYKARPOV | 13 | Six-time World Chess Champion and frequent rival of 15-Across (2 wds.) |
| 29% | BUTTERSSTOTCH | 13 | Character from "South Park," who is 43-Across's friend and is the sweet guy of the bunch: 2 wds. |
| 29% | DIERKSBENTLEY | 13 | Singer of 15-Across and 29-Across who was awarded the 2018 Academy of Country Music's Merle Haggard Spirit Award (2 wds.) |
| 29% | LADYGAGA | 8 | Singer of 15-Across, 9-Down, and 22-Down who will appear in the 2018 remake of "A Star Is Born" (2 wds.) |
| 29% | TOMHIDDLESTON | 13 | "Loki" star who was a schoolmate of 15-Across and 32-Across at Eton College: 2 wds. |
| 29% | DOWNUNDER | 9 | Bravo/Peacock spin-off of 15-Across since 2022, set off the coast of Australia: 2 wds. |
| 29% | MORGANWALLEN | 12 | 15-Across, 38-Across, and "7 Summers" singer who won the iHeartRadio Music Awards Best New Country Artist in 2020 (2 wds.) |
| 29% | GEORGECOSTANZA | 14 | Character who is Jerry's best friend since high school and is played by Jason Alexander on the show "Seinfeld": 2 wds. |
| 29% | LUKECOMBS | 9 | 15-Across and 33-Across singer who won the 2019 Country Music Association's New Artist of the Year Award (2 wds.) |
| 29% | JAMESMCBRIDE | 12 | 15-Across and 47-Across writer who won the 2013 National Book Award for Fiction for "The Good Lord Bird" (2 wds.) |
| 28% | ERICIDLE | 8 | Cocreator and lyricist of 15-Across: 2 wds. |
| 28% | ANTONIATHOMAS | 13 | Actress who plays Shaun's friend and fellow resident Claire on 15-Across: 2 wds. |
| 27% | FIGHTFORYOU | 11 | H.E.R. song from "Judas and the Black Messiah" that won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2021: 3 wds. |
| 27% | BUGSBUNNY | 9 | Looney Tunes character pursued by 28-Across and 45-Across (2 wds.) |
| 27% | ACTAFOOL | 8 | Single from Ludacris that was part of the soundtrack for "2 Fast 2 Furious," and was also nominated for a Grammy: 3 wds. |
| 27% | ANITASHREVE | 11 | "The Weight of Water," 15-Across, and 46-Across novelist (2 wds.) |
| 27% | BRANDONTAYLOR | 13 | Alabama-born writer of 15-Across and 26-Across/27-Across (2 wds.) |
| 27% | BETHECOWBOY | 11 | 15-Across album that ranked fourth on the "Entertainment Weekly" list of the 20 Best Albums of 2018 (3 wds.) |
| 27% | LINDARONSTADT | 13 | 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee with the 1975 hit "You're No Good": 2 wds. |
| 26% | ZACEFRON | 8 | Actor who plays a protégé of 15-Across in "The Greatest Showman": 2 wds. |