| 100% | JESSICABRUDER | 13 | Journalist who wrote the nonfiction bestseller 45-Across, which is subtitled "Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century" (2 wds.) |
| 42% | NOMADLAND | 9 | Best Picture winner based on a book with the subtitle Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century |
| 41% | RODERICKTHORP | 13 | Author who wrote "Nothing Lasts Forever," the novel on which movie in 17a was based: 2 wds. |
| 38% | SHONDARHIMES | 12 | 18-Across creator who wrote the episode in which 32-Across died: 2 wds |
| 37% | GILLIANFLYNN | 12 | Author who wrote the novels from which 17-Across and 29-/31-Across were adapted: 2 wds. |
| 37% | CHARLESKURALT | 13 | Journalist who was the first host of 48-Across (2 wds.) |
| 36% | IAM | 3 | "___ Mine," 2002 song written by Eddie Vedder which was the first single of the album "Riot Act": 2 wds. |
| 36% | IANMCKELLEN | 11 | Actor who has played Magneto since the first "X-Men" film, which was released in July 2000 (2 wds.) |
| 35% | EWANMCGREGOR | 12 | Actor who plays the protagonist in "Christopher Robin" which is a fantasy film based on "Winnie-the-Pooh": 2 wds. |
| 35% | REDSKULL | 8 | Villain who recovered the Tesseract in "Captain America: The First Avenger": 2 wds. |
| 35% | REALMADRID | 10 | Spanish professional football club which was recognised as the FIFA Club of the century in the year 2000: 2 wds. |
| 35% | KAZUOISHIGURO | 13 | British novelist who wrote 19-Across and 31-Across and was awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature (2 wds.) |
| 35% | JOSECANSECO | 11 | Retired ballplayer who was the first to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in the same season: 2 wds. |
| 35% | RUTHWARE | 8 | British novelist who wrote the bestsellers "The Woman in Cabin 10," 15-Across, and 29-Across (2 wds.) |
| 35% | STEPHENCOLBERT | 14 | American late night show host who wrote the book "I Am America (And So Can You!)": 2 wds. |
| 34% | WALTERJOHNSON | 13 | Senators pitcher who was inducted in the first Hall of Fame ceremony: 2 wds. |
| 34% | KATIECOURIC | 11 | Journalist who was the first woman to guest-host "Jeopardy!" (2 wds.) |
| 34% | MARIOPUZO | 9 | Author who wrote the novel 15-Across was based on: 2 wds. |
| 34% | STANLEYTUCCI | 12 | 19-Across and 32-Across actor who plays Dr. Abraham Erskine in "Captain America: The First Avenger" (2 wds.) |
| 34% | MARGARETCOURT | 13 | Australian tennis player who was the first woman to win the Grand Slam in the Open Era: 2 wds. |
| 34% | AMELIAEARHART | 13 | Aviation pioneer who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic: 2 wds. |
| 34% | TRISSPEAKER | 11 | Indians center fielder who was inducted in the first Hall of Fame ceremony: 2 wds. |
| 34% | LESLIEKNOPE | 11 | "Parks and Recreation" character who's credited with writing the 2011 book "Pawnee: The Greatest Town in America": 2 wds. |
| 34% | MOUNTMCKINLEY | 13 | The former name of Denali, the tallest peak in North America which is situated in Alaska: 2 wds. |
| 34% | LISALESLIE | 10 | Basketball Hall of Fame inductee who was the first player to dunk in a WNBA game: 2 wds. |
| 34% | RACEACROSS | 10 | ___ America, ultra-distance road cycling race which is one of the longest annual endurance events in the world: 2 wds. |
| 34% | MOUNTLOGAN | 10 | The second-highest peak in North America which also happens to be the tallest peak in Canada: 2 wds. |
| 34% | JOEFRAZIER | 10 | American professional boxer who defeated Muhammad Ali in what is famously called the "Fight of the Century": 2 wds. |
| 34% | HALLEBERRY | 10 | "Swordfish" actress who was the first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant in 1986: 2 wds. |
| 34% | HONUSWAGNER | 11 | Pirates shortstop who was inducted in the first Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony in 1939: 2 wds. |