| 100% | GAMETHEORY | 10 | Field of mathematics pioneered by John von Neumann |
| 40% | GAMETHEORY | 10 | John Nash's field of mathematics |
| 31% | MYCOLOGY | 8 | Field of science studied by Beatrix Potter |
| 29% | EUPHUES | 7 | 1578 novel by John Lyly subtitled The Anatomy of Wit |
| 29% | STRYKER | 7 | Sgt. played by John Wayne in "Sands of Iwo Jima" |
| 29% | WARPOET | 7 | John McCrae, author of "In Flanders Fields," e.g. |
| 29% | LIFEISWHAT | 10 | Start of a quote by John Lennon |
| 28% | OPIUMDEN | 8 | Place frequented by John Jasper in Dickens' "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" |
| 28% | NOTHINGISSO | 11 | Start of a quote by John Kenneth Galbraith |
| 28% | SEA | 3 | "___ of Tranquility," novel by Emily St. John Mandel |
| 28% | SAGAN | 5 | Pioneer in the field of exobiology |
| 27% | SHIVERMETIMBERS | 15 | Phrase popularized by Long John Silver of "Treasure Island" |
| 27% | NEUMANN | 7 | Computer science pioneer John von ___ |
| 27% | BASSSOLO | 8 | Extended piece by John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin or John Entwistle of the Who |
| 27% | LOST | 4 | "Paradise ___," English epic by John Milton that tells the tale of the Fall of Man |
| 27% | PAINTCAN | 8 | Item carried by John Travolta in the opening scene of "Saturday Night Fever" (2 wds.) |
| 27% | BOREAS | 6 | 1903 oil by John William Waterhouse named after the Greek god of the north wind |
| 26% | ENDUPINLAST | 11 | With 73-Across, be beaten by the rest of the field |
| 26% | EDGEOF | 6 | & 10A The —, subtitle of 1999 novel Bridget Jones by Helen Fielding |
| 26% | LOVESONGS | 9 | 1995 album of romantic ballads, by Elton John |
| 26% | PLATFORM | 8 | Type of shoe favored by Elton John |
| 26% | LONGITUDE | 9 | Opposite of latitude, calculated by John Harrison |
| 26% | ALEGACYOFSPIES | 14 | 2017 novel by John le Carré that wraps up the story of 30-Across (4 wds.) |
| 26% | ENDYMION | 8 | Poem by John Keats, that starts with "A thing of beauty is a joy for ever..." |
| 26% | GIMLI | 5 | Dwarf warrior who is portrayed by John Rhys-Davies in "The Lord of the Rings" films |
| 26% | ALL | 3 | "___ of Me" (song by John Legend) |
| 26% | EASTOFEDEN | 10 | John Steinbeck novel inspired by the biblical story of Cain and Abel: 3 wds |
| 26% | EGOT | 4 | Set of awards won by John Legend and Rita Moreno, for short |
| 26% | EGOT | 4 | Quartet of awards earned by John Legend and Whoopi Goldberg, for short |
| 26% | STARTEVERY | 10 | Beginning of a quote by W. C. Fields |