| 100% | PONCEDELEON | 11 | Explorer who in 1513 became the first European to set foot in 14-Across, and gave the state its name: 3 wds. |
| 41% | NEILARMSTRONG | 13 | Astronaut whose birthday it is today, who became the first man to set foot on the Moon: 2 wds. |
| 40% | ROALDAMUNDSEN | 13 | Norwegian explorer who in 1911 became the first person to reach the South Pole, one month ahead of 18-Across: 2 wds. |
| 38% | RICHARDBYRD | 11 | American explorer who in 1929 became the first person to fly over the South Pole: 2 wds. |
| 35% | IGGYAZALEA | 10 | "Fancy" singer featured on "Problem" who in 2014 became the second ever to be simultaneously #1 and #2 with her first two hits: 2 wds. |
| 34% | THEBEATLES | 10 | "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You" group who in 1964 became the first ever to be simultaneously #1 and #2 with their first two hits: 2 wds. |
| 33% | WARRENGHARDING | 14 | U.S. president who, in 1922, became the first president to have his voice transmitted on the radio (3 wds.) |
| 33% | HARRIETQUIMBY | 13 | First woman to earn a pilot's license in the United States and the first woman to fly across the English Channel (2 wds.) |
| 32% | VETERAN | 7 | NY state town named after Green Bently, its first settler, who fought in the American Revolution and the French and Indian War |
| 31% | ALEXRODRIGUEZ | 13 | Mariners shortstop who, in 1998, became the youngest player to that point to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases: 2 wds. |
| 30% | ROBERTSCOTT | 11 | British explorer who tried to beat 31-Across to the South Pole, and who didn't make it back: 2 wds. |
| 30% | MANNYPACQUIAO | 13 | Filipino boxer who recently became the first person to hold a world title in four different decades: 2 wds. |
| 30% | CHLOEZHAO | 9 | 16-Across director who won an Academy Award for Best Director in 2021, becoming the first non-white woman to win a directing Oscar (2 wds.) |
| 30% | MARIAHCAREY | 11 | "Fantasy" singer who recently became the first person to top the Billboard Hot 100 in four different decades: 2 wds. |
| 30% | CATEBLANCHETT | 13 | "Blue Jasmine" and "The Aviator" star who was the first Australian to win Oscars in two acting categories (2 wds.) |
| 30% | STEVIENICKS | 11 | American singer and songwriter who became the first woman to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: 2 wds. |
| 30% | MELISSAARNOT | 12 | Mountaineer who climbed Mount Everest six times and became the first woman to survive a descent without supplemental oxygen: 2 wds. |
| 30% | VASCODAGAMA | 11 | Portuguese explorer who found a sea route from Europe to India in the late 1400s: 3 wds. |
| 30% | RAMIMALEK | 9 | Actor who became the first one of Egyptian heritage to win an Oscar for Best Actor in 2019: 2 wds. |
| 30% | JOSECANSECO | 11 | Retired ballplayer who was the first to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in the same season: 2 wds. |
| 29% | GIBB | 4 | Bobbi, who in 1966 became the first woman to run the entire Boston Marathon |
| 29% | EDMUNDHILLARY | 13 | Mountaineer who climbed Mount Everest with Tenzing Norgay and became the first climbers to have reached the summit of the mountain: 2 wds. |
| 29% | VINCECARTER | 11 | Atlanta Hawks forward who recently became the first to play in the NBA in four different decades: 2 wds. |
| 29% | DANICAPATRICK | 13 | Racing great who became the first woman driver to win an Indy car race in April 2008 (2 wds.) |
| 29% | BILLYJOEL | 9 | "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" and "We Didn't Start the Fire" singer who seems to have two first names (2 wds.) |
| 29% | WAYNE | 5 | ___ Gretzky, former ice hockey player who became the first and only player to total over 200 points in one season |
| 29% | ETHELWATERS | 11 | Harlem Renaissance singer and actress who was the first African American to star in her own TV show: 2 wds. |
| 29% | MIGUELCABRERA | 13 | Detroit Tigers first baseman who became the 33rd (and most recent) player to join the 3,000-hit club on 4/23/2022: 2 wds. |
| 29% | EDITHWHARTON | 12 | 13-Across and 25-Across writer who was the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize in Literature, for her 1920 novel "The Age of Innocence" (2 wds.) |
| 29% | ROALDAMUNDSEN | 13 | Norwegian explorer who led the first expedition to the South Pole in the early 1900s: 2 wds. |