| 100% | AGEE | 4 | James who co-wrote the script for 39-Across |
| 65% | AGEE | 4 | Novelist James who co-wrote the screenplay for "The African Queen" |
| 51% | ERICHSEGAL | 10 | Author who co-wrote the screenplay for the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" |
| 51% | ELLIE | 5 | Greenwich who co-wrote songs for the Ronettes and Crystals |
| 50% | ANKA | 4 | Paul who co-wrote the Johnny Carson-era theme for the “Tonight Show” |
| 50% | DIDION | 6 | Joan who co-wrote the screenplay for the 1976 A Star Is Born |
| 47% | IRVINGBERLIN | 12 | Composer who wrote the songs for 17-Across (2 wds.) |
| 47% | CLARE | 5 | 50-Across character who writes for the school paper |
| 47% | MIRANDA | 7 | Lin-Manuel who wrote the songs for 16-Across |
| 47% | AGEE | 4 | James who wrote "A Death in the Family" |
| 46% | DANA | 4 | Actor Delany, who co-wrote a crossword for The New York Times in 2011 |
| 46% | ETTA | 4 | James who opened for the Rolling Stones in 1978 |
| 46% | PALTROW | 7 | Actress Gwyneth who co-wrote "It's All Easy: Delicious Weekday Recipes for the Super-Busy Home Cook" |
| 45% | FREY | 4 | James who wrote the best seller "A Million Little Pieces" |
| 45% | AGEE | 4 | James ___ who wrote "A Death in the Family" |
| 45% | GUNN | 4 | James who wrote and directed both "Guardians of the Galaxy" films |
| 44% | QUINCYJONES | 11 | Composer who wrote "The Streetbeater," the theme song for 29-Across (2 wds.) |
| 44% | AGNEW | 5 | For whom Safire wrote the words "nattering nabobs of negativism" |
| 43% | ETTA | 4 | James who co-wrote and sang "I'd Rather Go Blind" |
| 43% | ARTHUR | 6 | With 39-Across, "The Crucible" playwright who was blacklisted for his leftist views in the Joseph McCarthy period |
| 43% | SARA | 4 | Bareilles who wrote the songs for "Waitress" |
| 43% | LYRICIST | 8 | One who writes the words for songs |
| 43% | ALS | 3 | Hilton who writes for The New Yorker |
| 42% | MAMET | 5 | David who wrote the screenplay for "The Verdict" |
| 42% | TORME | 5 | Crooner who co-wrote the "Chestnuts roasting ... " song |
| 42% | ANNE | 4 | ___ Spielberg, screenwriter who co-wrote the movie "Big" |
| 42% | MIA | 3 | Athlete Hamm who wrote "Go for the Goal" |
| 42% | STYNE | 5 | Jule who wrote the music for "Funny Girl" |
| 42% | JELANI | 6 | Historian Cobb who writes for The New Yorker |
| 42% | AGEE | 4 | James who wrote "The Morning Watch" |