| 100% | HOWARD | 6 | John —, prison reformer who wrote 1777 book The State of Prisons in England and Wales |
| 37% | RAE | 3 | John —, 19th-century Scottish explorer who authored the book Narrative of an Expedition to the Shores of the Arctic Sea, in 1846 and 1847 |
| 37% | ENGELS | 6 | Friedrich ___, German political scientist who wrote "The Condition of the Working Class in England" |
| 34% | TONI | 4 | Morrison who wrote, “I refuse the prison of ‘I’ and choose the open spaces of ‘we’ ” |
| 34% | MONMOUTH | 8 | Town in SE Wales near the border with England at the confluence of the Rivers Wye and Monnow |
| 34% | MONMOUTH | 8 | Town in southeast Wales near the border with England at the confluence of the Rivers Wye and Monnow |
| 33% | BARBARABUSH | 11 | First Lady of the United States (1989-1993) who wrote "Millie's Book": 2 wds. |
| 33% | PATTISMITH | 10 | "Because the Night" singer-songwriter who wrote "Babel," a book of poetry and drawings (2 wds.) |
| 33% | DUNLIN | 6 | Small wading bird with a slightly down-curved bill that breeds in the uplands of Scotland, Wales and England |
| 32% | BAIN | 4 | Donald who wrote a 1963 "memoir" seen in the first words of 17-, 30-, 46- and 60-Across |
| 32% | KNIGHT | 6 | Man who is given the title of Sir in England |
| 32% | KAFKA | 5 | Franz who wrote "I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound and stab us" |
| 32% | ALANALDA | 8 | Hawkeye Pierce portrayer who wrote, directed, and starred in the final episode of "M*A*S*H" (2 wds.) |
| 32% | JONIMITCHELL | 12 | "Both Sides Now" singer-songwriter who wrote "Morning Glory on the Vine," a book of poetry and drawings (2 wds.) |
| 32% | DOCTORSTRANGE | 13 | Fictional superhero appearing in comic books who is the primary protector of Earth against magical and mystical threats: 2 wds. |
| 31% | JUDYBLUME | 9 | Novelist who wrote "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" and the other three frequently banned books in this puzzle (2 wds.) |
| 31% | RLSTINE | 7 | Author referred to as "Stephen King of children's literature" who wrote the first book of the Goosebumps series in 1992 |
| 31% | KENNEDY | 7 | 35th President of the United States, John F. ___, who was shot twice, while inside a vehicle in a procession |
| 31% | MICHELLE | 8 | ___ Obama, former first lady of the United States who cameoed in an episode of "Parks and Recreation" |
| 31% | ELTON | 5 | John who co-wrote the song “Ego” and the book “Me” |
| 31% | NATE | 4 | Statistician Silver who wrote the book "The Signal and the Noise" |
| 31% | DIANA | 5 | ___ Spencer, who became the Princess of Wales in 1981 |
| 31% | ELIOT | 5 | Poet who wrote "In the room the women come and go / Talking of Michelangelo" |
| 31% | JKROWLING | 9 | British novelist and creator of characters in 8a who also wrote the screenplay for "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them": 3 wds. |
| 31% | CARL | 4 | ___ Sagan, American astronomer and scientist who wrote the book "Cosmos" |
| 31% | HALIFAX | 7 | A town in England and the capital of Nova Scotia |
| 31% | ANGLE | 5 | Member of a Germanic people who invaded and settled in parts of England in the 5th and 6th centuries |
| 31% | ANGLE | 5 | Member of a Germanic people who invaded and settled large parts of England in the 5th and 6th centuries |
| 31% | ANGLE | 5 | Member of a Germanic people who invaded and settled large parts of England in the 5th- and 6th-centuries |
| 30% | HARLANHOWARD | 12 | Songwriter in the Nashville Songwriters, Country Music, and Songwriters Halls of Fame who wrote the songs on 40-Across's 2023 album (2 wds.) |