| 100% | AHEAD | 5 | In the lead |
| 100% | FIRST | 5 | In the lead |
| 100% | ONTOP | 5 | In the lead |
| 84% | ERE | 3 | In the time leading up to |
| 83% | DIVA | 4 | Any singer in the lead role of 41-Across |
| 77% | LACKOFEELING | 12 | What pollution in the Sargasso Sea may lead to? |
| 77% | SMELT | 5 | Get the lead out, in a way |
| 76% | FARMANIMALS | 11 | Most of the leading characters in "Babe" |
| 75% | ASNER | 5 | Ed who provided the lead voice in "Up" |
| 75% | PATTONOSWALT | 12 | Comedian who voiced the lead role in "Ratatouille" |
| 75% | MACAW | 5 | Bird that's the lead character in "Rio" |
| 74% | ALLBESTAREOFF | 13 | "None of the leading sales people came in today"? |
| 74% | BLACKBEARD | 10 | Pirate who's the leading role in 18-Across |
| 73% | OFFTOAGOODSTART | 15 | Leading early in the race |
| 73% | USHER | 5 | Leading man in the theater? |
| 73% | USHER | 5 | Leading man in the theater |
| 72% | FINN | 4 | Lead role in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" |
| 72% | ALANSHEPARD | 11 | Leading American in the 32-Down |
| 72% | YURIGAGARIN | 11 | Leading Russian in the 32-Down |
| 71% | SLEEPERAGENTS | 13 | What the lead characters in "The Americans" actually are: 2 wds. |
| 71% | PACE | 4 | Set the ___ (be in the lead) |
| 70% | GINGER | 6 | India leads the world in its production |
| 70% | ASNER | 5 | Actor Ed who provided the lead voice in the Pixar film "Up" |
| 69% | EDDIE | 5 | He led the Hellfire Club in "Stranger Things" |
| 68% | AOL | 3 | ISP used by the lead characters in 1998's "You've Got Mail" |
| 68% | RENATO | 6 | Lead role in the film "La Cage aux Folles" |
| 66% | HADTHECODENAMECROSSWORD | 23 | Negotiations leading to the surrender of German troops in Italy _____ |
| 66% | GWYNN | 5 | Tony who led the N.L. in batting eight times |
| 66% | RBIS | 4 | Hank Aaron led the N.L. in them four times |
| 66% | JOHNNYDEPP | 10 | He played one of the lead roles in the film version of 50-/55-Across |