| 100% | RUNYON | 6 | Damon —, author of short story collections More Than Somewhat and Take It Easy |
| 85% | RUNYON | 6 | Damon —, author of the short story collections More Than Somewhat, Furthermore and Take It Easy |
| 38% | KARENRUSSELL | 12 | Author of the short-story collection "Orange World and Other Stories": 2 wds. |
| 35% | OLIVERONIONS | 12 | Author of ghost story collections Widdershins and The Painted Face |
| 35% | OHENRY | 6 | Pen name of William Sidney Porter, author of short story collections Roads of Destiny and The Four Million |
| 34% | BRYANWASHINGTON | 15 | Author of the 2019 short-story collection “Lot” and the 2020 novel “Memorial” |
| 30% | RELAX | 5 | Kick back and take it easy |
| 30% | DANRHODES | 9 | Author of 2001 short story collection Don't Tell Me the Truth About Love |
| 30% | SAKI | 4 | Pen name of H H Munro, author of 1914 short story collection Beasts and Super-Beasts |
| 29% | NIN | 3 | Author of the story collection "Little Birds" |
| 29% | JODIPICOULT | 11 | Bestselling author of more than 30 books, including "My Sister's Keeper," 19-Across, and 34-Across (2 wds.) |
| 29% | CARVER | 6 | Raymond —, author of 1983 short story collection Cathedral |
| 29% | DAVIDBALDACCI | 13 | Bestselling author of more than 40 political thrillers, including "The Camel Club" and 15-Across and 32-Across (2 wds.) |
| 29% | ANDERSON | 8 | Sherwood —, author of 1919 short story collection Winesburg, Ohio |
| 29% | ELLISON | 7 | Harlan —, author of 1988 short story collection Angry Candy |
| 28% | NOVELLA | 7 | More than a short story |
| 28% | CHILLAX | 7 | Take it easy and pop open a 3-Down, say |
| 28% | ASET | 4 | Frank O'Connor short story collection "___ of Variations" |
| 28% | SWAN | 4 | "God Who Took Form of ___ Finding It Much Harder to Seduce Women Than Expected" (The Onion headline) |
| 28% | DAUDET | 6 | Alphonse —, author of 1869 short story collection Lettres de Mon Moulin |
| 28% | OVERTHETOP | 10 | More than flamboyant ... and where it's at |
| 28% | EAPOE | 5 | Author of Gothic short stories, in short |
| 28% | TOLKIEN | 7 | Author of stories featuring Bilbo and Gandalf |
| 27% | POE | 3 | Author of the short story "Loss of Breath" |
| 27% | POE | 3 | American author of macabre short stories |
| 27% | WOE | 3 | "For never was a story of more ___ than this of Juliet and her Romeo" |
| 27% | HORNUNG | 7 | E W —, author of 1899 short story collection The Amateur Cracksman |
| 27% | CHIANG | 6 | Ted ___, author of the best-selling short-story collection "Exhalation" |
| 27% | ICEL | 4 | More than 70% of its exports are fish: Abbr. |
| 27% | POE | 3 | 19th-century author of creepy short stories |