| 100% | NUTELLA | 7 | Chocolaty spread whose first syllable is pronounced "new," not "nuh" |
| 35% | ASH | 3 | Cigarette remains (and how the first syllable of 50-Across is pronounced) |
| 34% | ABBA | 4 | Band whose new album "Voyage" is their first in 40 years |
| 33% | PIERRE | 6 | State capital whose name is pronounced as one syllable (not two, as many think) |
| 33% | FORBES | 6 | Magazine whose first issue declared, “Business was originated to produce happiness, not to pile up millions” |
| 33% | TEDY | 4 | Former New England Patriot Bruschi whose name is a bear to pronounce? |
| 33% | ACAI | 4 | Fruit whose name is pronounced in three syllables |
| 32% | FIGHTCLUB | 9 | Group in a 1999 movie whose first rule of membership is not to talk about it: 2 wds. |
| 32% | GIF | 3 | Internet term whose first letter is either pronounced with a hard or soft G |
| 31% | PESO | 4 | Currency whose first syllable sounds like "pay" |
| 31% | MARLEY | 6 | Reggae musician Damian whose new album "Stony Hill" is his first solo release in 12 years |
| 31% | IRIS | 4 | Eye part whose first syllable sounds like "eye" |
| 29% | PESO | 4 | Currency whose first syllable sounds like what people do with currency |
| 29% | ABBA | 4 | Band whose first US hit was "Waterloo" |
| 29% | OAK | 3 | Tree whose first two letters are vowels |
| 28% | BACH | 4 | Composer whose first two initials are J.S. |
| 28% | ABBA | 4 | Group whose first U.S. hit was "Waterloo" |
| 28% | MEGALOMANIA | 11 | Condition whose first two letters are oddly appropriate |
| 28% | ESSENCE | 7 | Magazine whose first editorial director was Gordon Parks |
| 28% | KESHA | 5 | Singer whose first hit single was "TiK ToK" |
| 28% | SSN | 3 | ID whose first five digits are sometimes ignored |
| 28% | CODA | 4 | Person whose first language may be ASL (Abbr.) |
| 28% | ADAM | 4 | Person whose first wife may have been Lilith |
| 28% | MRMOTO | 6 | Detective whose first name is Kentaro |
| 28% | WREN | 4 | Bird whose first letter is silent |
| 28% | REINVENT | 8 | Be original, but not first |
| 28% | OBAMA | 5 | President whose first name means "one who is blessed" |
| 28% | NICOLASCAGE | 11 | Actor whose first credited role was in "Rumble Fish" |
| 28% | ALEC | 4 | Baldwin whose first big movie role was in "Beetlejuice" |
| 28% | RIHANNA | 7 | Singer whose first #1 single was 2006's "SOS" |