| 100% | CONTEND | 7 | Compete for the title |
| 72% | COMPETE | 7 | Try for the title |
| 69% | BID | 3 | Compete for the job |
| 69% | INIT | 4 | Competing for a title |
| 67% | SAIL | 4 | Compete for the America's Cup |
| 67% | SAILED | 6 | Competed for the America's Cup |
| 66% | CHALLENGER | 10 | Boxer vying for the title |
| 66% | SPAR | 4 | Prepare for the title match |
| 65% | UTE | 3 | Athlete competing for the Beehive Boot |
| 64% | REFUGEES | 8 | Competed for the first time at the 2016 Olympics |
| 64% | ANI | 3 | Nickname for the title character of “Anora” |
| 64% | INIT | 4 | Still vying for the title (2 wds.) |
| 63% | SPINE | 5 | One place for the title on a book |
| 63% | HERA | 4 | Goddess who competed for the apple of discord |
| 62% | HERA | 4 | Zeus' wife, who competed for the apple of discord |
| 61% | PROTEM | 6 | For the time being, in some titles |
| 61% | MSU | 3 | Big Ten sch. that competes for the Paul Bunyan Trophy |
| 59% | APE | 3 | The title character in "Mighty Joe Young," for one |
| 59% | LABANIMAL | 9 | The title character of “Flowers for Algernon,” e.g. |
| 59% | BEST | 4 | Start of the title for every Oscar |
| 59% | OURLADY | 7 | Title for the Virgin Mary |
| 59% | SIR | 3 | Title for the entitled, maybe |
| 59% | TSAR | 4 | Title for Ivan the Terrible |
| 59% | SIR | 3 | Title for the Black Knight |
| 58% | SHREK | 5 | 2001 animated film that competed for the Palme d’Or at Cannes |
| 58% | CAT | 3 | The title character of the short story “Tobermory,” for one |
| 58% | JESS | 4 | Jack beat him for the heavyweight title, 1919 |
| 58% | NAMEDROPPER | 11 | Supercilious sort ... or the title for this puzzle |
| 58% | CONTENDER | 9 | Boxer who is challenging for the world title |
| 58% | MAILORDER | 9 | Business for The Territory Ahead or Title Nine |