| 100% | BILLYSTRAYHORN | 14 | Jazz pianist who composed 45-Across (2 wds.) |
| 69% | DUKEELLINGTON | 13 | Jazz pianist and bandleader who composed "Sophisticated Lady": 2 wds. |
| 61% | HERBIEHANCOCK | 13 | Jazz pianist who had a hit with 1983's "Rockit": 2 wds. |
| 59% | DAVEBRUBECK | 11 | "Take Five" jazz pianist who received a 2009 Kennedy Center Honor: 2 wds. |
| 59% | CHARLIEPARKER | 13 | Jazz saxophonist who composed and played "Moose the Mooche": 2 wds. |
| 59% | CHARLESMINGUS | 13 | Jazz bassist who composed and played "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat": 2 wds. |
| 57% | HERBIEHANCOCK | 13 | Jazz pianist and 2013 Kennedy Center honoree who is a practicing Buddhist: 2 wds. |
| 57% | DUKEELLINGTON | 13 | Jazz bandleader who adopted 45-Across as his orchestra's signature song (2 wds.) |
| 54% | DUKEELLINGTON | 13 | Jazz legend who composed "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)": 2 wds. |
| 53% | CHUCKMANGIONE | 13 | Jazz flugelhorn player who composed and played "Feels So Good": 2 wds. |
| 53% | ARTTATUM | 8 | Arthur, a blind 20th century jazz pianist, who was honored with a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989: 2 wds. |
| 47% | OSCARPETERSON | 13 | Jazz pianist from Canada known for his 1950s trio: 2 wds. |
| 46% | JAMIEFOXX | 9 | Oscar winner who plays jazz pianist Joe Gardner in 1-Across (2 wds.) |
| 46% | HERBALPERT | 10 | Jazz trumpeter who led the Tijuana Brass: 2 wds. |
| 45% | BREANNASTEWART | 14 | 45-Across star who was named 2020 WNBA Finals MVP (2 wds.) |
| 45% | MILESDAVIS | 10 | Jazz trumpeter who recorded "Birth of the Cool": 2 wds. |
| 45% | BRIANENO | 8 | Ambient music pioneer who composed the "Microsoft Sound" for Windows 95: 2 wds. |
| 44% | LENAHORNE | 9 | Jazz singer who was awarded the Spingarn Medal in 1983: 2 wds. |
| 43% | ADAMWEST | 8 | "Batman" actor who voices himself on 45-Across (2 wds.) |
| 43% | DUKEELLINGTON | 13 | Jazz pianist who had chromesthesia |
| 42% | FATHA | 5 | Jazz pianist who played with Satchmo |
| 42% | DOLLARBABY | 10 | See 45-Across: 2 wds. |
| 42% | AHMADJAMAL | 10 | Jazz pianist honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2 wds.) |
| 41% | GARYCOLE | 8 | "Veep" actor who voices Principal Shepherd on 45-Across (2 wds.) |
| 41% | SAMHEUGHAN | 10 | "Outlander" actor who plays Rob Burns in 45-Across (2 wds.) |
| 41% | AHMADJAMAL | 10 | Jazz pianist honored with a 2017 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2 wds.) |
| 41% | CHICKCOREA | 10 | 23-time Grammy-winning jazz pianist whose first name is also the term for a baby bird: 2 wds. |
| 40% | RUDYGOBERT | 10 | Jazz center who won his second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2019: 2 wds. |
| 40% | PATRICKSWAYZE | 13 | "Road House" actor who plays Johnny Castle in 45-Across (2 wds.) |
| 40% | XXXXXXXXXX | 10 | Jazz pianist who played in Miles Davis's band |