| 100% | AARON | 5 | Hank with the retired #44 |
| 61% | MAYS | 4 | Giant with the retired jersey #24 |
| 54% | GEHRIG | 6 | Player with the first retired number in baseball |
| 53% | THEPOLAREXPRESS | 15 | Warner Brothers film with the voice of Tom Hanks |
| 52% | BARCELONA | 9 | With 44-Down, site of the 1992 Olympics |
| 52% | MORSE | 5 | With 44-Down, "key" invention of the 1830s |
| 52% | TAPIOCA | 7 | With 44-Down, the "bubble" in bubble tea |
| 51% | BENEDICT | 8 | The 16th pope with this name retired in 2013 |
| 51% | ASSETMANAGER | 12 | Adviser concerned with the starts of 20-, 31- and 44-Across |
| 50% | EUROPE | 6 | Continent with 44 countries, according to the UN |
| 50% | AZARIA | 6 | Hank with voices on "The Simpsons" |
| 49% | JERRYWEST | 9 | His No. 44 jersey was retired by the Lakers |
| 49% | COLD | 4 | With 44-Down, conflict between 7-Down and the 34-Down |
| 49% | CHIEFJUSTICE | 12 | With 39 and 44 Across, the most major magistrate |
| 48% | DAILY | 5 | With 72-Across, the end of 20-, 37-, 44- or 59-Across |
| 47% | JOE | 3 | ___ Morgan, second baseman with the jersey number 8 that was retired by the Cincinnati Reds |
| 47% | TOM | 3 | Hanks with a 2024 cameo on "The Simpsons" |
| 46% | BOXED | 5 | With 44-Across, Valentine's Day gift ... or a hint to the shaded squares |
| 45% | AARON | 5 | Hank —, US baseball player who retired in 1976 with a total of 755 home runs |
| 45% | AARON | 5 | Hank ---, US baseball player who retired in 1976 with a total of 755 home runs |
| 45% | TOM | 3 | Actor Hanks who costars with Meryl Streep in the new movie "The Post" |
| 45% | FRANKHOWARD | 11 | Slugger who led the MLB with 44 home runs in 1968 (2 wds.) |
| 44% | LILIESOF | 8 | With 44-Across, film for which 30-Across won the Oscar for Best Actor: 2 wds. |
| 44% | BIANCA | 6 | With 44-Across, Canadian tennis player who defeated Serena Williams in the 2019 US Open final |
| 44% | LORAX | 5 | 44-Across character, with "the" |
| 44% | AARON | 5 | Hank with homers |
| 44% | SOTHAT | 6 | With the result |
| 44% | DOWNSTREAM | 10 | With the current |
| 44% | SOAS | 4 | With the intent |
| 44% | ONTO | 4 | With the program |