| 100% | SWAM | 4 | Competed in the first leg of a triathlon |
| 84% | RAN | 3 | Competed in the last leg of a triathlon |
| 55% | RAN | 3 | Did the last leg of a triathlon |
| 53% | UPON | 4 | Word in the first sentence of a fairy tale |
| 50% | PAWN | 4 | The first piece usually moved in a game of chess |
| 50% | HOCK | 4 | Joint in the hind leg of a horse between the gaskin and the cannon bone |
| 49% | PAWN | 4 | Usually the first piece moved in a game of chess |
| 49% | CHELSEAGRAMMAR | 14 | Star of a sitcom in which the First Daughter learns syntax? |
| 48% | UHLAN | 5 | Member of a body of lancers first employed in the Polish army |
| 48% | EAR | 3 | Organ in the leg of a katydid, bizarrely |
| 48% | OUTWARD | 7 | First leg of a round trip |
| 47% | SWUM | 4 | Like one leg of a triathlon |
| 47% | RAN | 3 | Did one leg of a triathlon |
| 44% | BASEMAN | 7 | First ___ (Player standing in the first of the four stations in a Baseball diamond) |
| 44% | OBOE | 4 | It has a brief solo in the first movement of Beethoven's Fifth |
| 44% | FROGSPAWN | 9 | The first stage of a tadpole's life cycle |
| 43% | HUCKLEBERRY | 11 | ___ Finn, a fictional character who first appeared in 51a and is a friend of the protagonist |
| 43% | ONCE | 4 | The first word of a fairy tale, ___ upon a time |
| 43% | ACE | 3 | The first card in a deck |
| 43% | UNLIT | 5 | In the midst of a blackout |
| 43% | SOBERLY | 7 | In the manner of a judge |
| 43% | TIMIDLY | 7 | In the manner of a milquetoast |
| 43% | AMID | 4 | In the middle of a crowd |
| 42% | ALSO | 4 | The first "a" in a k a |
| 42% | ALAN | 4 | The first "A" of A. A. Milne |
| 42% | ALAN | 4 | The first "A" in A.A. Milne |
| 42% | BTEN | 4 | Square in the first column of bingo |
| 42% | TSE | 3 | The first letter of "tsar," in Cyrillic |
| 42% | ADAM | 4 | The first prophet of God, in Islam |
| 42% | SOUP | 4 | Often the first course of a meal |