| 100% | BOND | 4 | Lead character's last name in 15-, 18-, 32-, and 44-Across |
| 43% | VANPELT | 7 | Last name of Linus and Lucy in 44-Across: 2 wds. |
| 41% | SHOELESSJOE | 11 | Nickname of "Black Sox" outfielder Jackson who's a character in 18-Across and 32-Across: 2 wds. |
| 39% | SHIRLEY | 7 | Last name of 18-Across's title character before she becomes a Cuthbert |
| 38% | BRADSHAW | 8 | Carrie's last name in Sex and the City |
| 38% | FATALE | 6 | Natasha's last name in Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons |
| 37% | MCFEELY | 7 | Last name of the delivery man on 18-Across/40-Across and "Daniel Tiger's 40-Across" |
| 36% | STACY | 5 | Gwen's last name, in "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" |
| 36% | TIMEMAGAZINE | 12 | Publication that named 18-Across 1963's Woman of the Year in its 100 Women of the Year project and 32-Across 2019's Person of the Year (2 wds.) |
| 35% | DEREKSHEPHERD | 13 | Patrick Dempsey character who died in last Thursday's episode of 18-Across: 2 wds. |
| 35% | ATOLL | 5 | Island ring ... or, in three parts, a hint to 18-, 32-, 44- and 59-Across |
| 34% | VANPELT | 7 | Linus and Lucy's last name in "Peanuts" |
| 34% | PICKLES | 7 | Last name of toddlers Angelica, Tommy, and Dil on 15-Across |
| 34% | RUBBLE | 6 | Barney and Betty's last name in the Flintstones |
| 33% | LARRYMCMURTRY | 13 | 18-Across, 44-Across, and "The Last Picture Show" novelist/screenwriter who lived his whole life in the small Texas town of Archer City (1936-2021) (2 wds.) |
| 33% | SOPRANO | 7 | Last name of TV characters Tony and Carmela |
| 33% | BENNET | 6 | Last name of Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice |
| 33% | EMS | 3 | Lead characters in Mad Max and Magic Mike? |
| 33% | COSMOKRAMER | 11 | Character played by Michael Richards in "Seinfeld", who is 32-Across's neighbor and is often called a "hipster doofus": 2 wds. |
| 33% | DEVILLE | 7 | Last name of twin toddlers Phil and Lil on 15-Across |
| 32% | SKYWALKER | 9 | Last name of the main character in Star Wars |
| 32% | MCCLANE | 7 | Last name of Bruce Willis' character in Die Hard |
| 32% | ADLER | 5 | Last name of Grace in Will and Grace sitcom |
| 32% | ANTHONYRAMOS | 12 | "A Star Is Born" actor who plays Usnavi, the lead character in 18-Across: 2 wds. |
| 32% | OYL | 3 | Olive's last name in "Popeye" |
| 32% | MAXIMOFF | 8 | Wanda's last name in WandaVision |
| 32% | COSTANZA | 8 | George's last name in Seinfeld |
| 32% | BING | 4 | Chandler's last name in "Friends" |
| 32% | LUND | 4 | Ilsa's last name in Casablanca |
| 32% | OLSSON | 6 | Sandy's last name in Grease |