| 100% | FREDBIRD | 8 | Cardinals mascot whose name rhymes with a nickname for a member of the team |
| 45% | EAGLE | 5 | Member of the N.F.L. team whose mascot is named Swoop |
| 43% | SOLDIER | 7 | General name for a member of the Army |
| 42% | ARGO | 4 | Best Picture winner whose name rhymes with a Coen brothers film set in the Midwest |
| 41% | MAV | 3 | Nickname for any member of a Dallas professional basketball team |
| 41% | METS | 4 | Team whose name rhymes with two others in the same metropolitan area |
| 41% | OLEMISS | 7 | Nickname for a Southern university whose teams are the Rebels: 2 wds. |
| 40% | ECLAIR | 6 | Creme-filled oblong pastry whose name comes from the French for a flash of lightning |
| 39% | STEELER | 7 | Member of the A.F.C. team with most division titles |
| 39% | CAVALIERS | 9 | With 15a, it's the name of the NBA team whose mascots are Moondog and Sir C.C. and which is part-owned by Usher |
| 39% | ERIES | 5 | Members of the Iroquoian people for whom a Great Lake is named |
| 39% | AROD | 4 | Nickname of the only player named MLB MVP for two different fielding positions with two different teams (Texas Rangers/shortstop, New York Yankees/third base) (Hyph.) |
| 39% | ERICA | 5 | Woman's name that rhymes with a part of the world |
| 38% | LINC | 4 | Nickname for someone who shares a name with the 16th president |
| 37% | IOR | 3 | Suffix with "super" for the name of a Great Lake |
| 37% | ALAI | 4 | Second word of a game name that rhymes with the first |
| 37% | PEW | 3 | Bench for a member of the congregation |
| 37% | SENATORS | 8 | Ottawa ___, Canadian ice hockey team in the NHL whose name sounds like a group of politicians |
| 37% | TRIBE | 5 | Nickname of the MLB club that has the fuscia-colored Slider for a mascot |
| 37% | CATS | 4 | Musical whose name is an anagram of the members of a musical |
| 37% | ABBA | 4 | Swedish pop band with the song "Chiquitita" whose name is an acronym of the first letters of the members' first names |
| 37% | NSYNC | 5 | Band with the song "Bye Bye Bye" whose name is an acronym of the last letters of the members' first names |
| 37% | MOLLYSHANNON | 12 | "I Love That for You" actress who wrote the 2022 memoir whose title rhymes with a famous Broadway musical (2 wds.) |
| 36% | BSIX | 4 | Vitamin whose name rhymes with a car engine |
| 36% | MONETARYUNIT | 12 | Professional development for a member of the Fed? |
| 36% | EARPIECE | 8 | Gear for a member of the Secret Service |
| 36% | ASTRO | 5 | Member of a major-league team with a name that's out of this world? |
| 36% | STARR | 5 | Ringo ___, drummer for The Beatles whose name is reminiscent of a Christmas night |
| 36% | VICKS | 5 | VapoRub brand, whose name rhymes with a famous singer |
| 36% | PREVIN | 6 | Knighted orchestra conductor whose name rhymes with a number |