| 100% | URIS | 4 | Leon ___, who wrote "Mila 18" |
| 72% | URIS | 4 | Leon who wrote "Exodus" |
| 72% | URIS | 4 | Leon who wrote ''Exodus'' |
| 71% | URIS | 4 | Leon who wrote "The Haj" |
| 71% | URIS | 4 | Leon who wrote historical novels |
| 71% | URIS | 4 | Leon who wrote "Battle Cry" |
| 71% | URIS | 4 | Leon who wrote “Mitla Pass” |
| 60% | KITDEWAAL | 9 | English author who wrote My Name Is Leon |
| 60% | URIS | 4 | Leon ___, who wrote "Trinity" and "Redemption" |
| 56% | EDEL | 4 | Leon ___ who wrote a Pulitzer Prize-winning biography on Henry James |
| 56% | WOODY | 5 | With 35-Across, "Blue Jasmine" director who wrote and directed 18-Across |
| 55% | ASHLEYELSTON | 12 | "10 Blind Dates" author who wrote 18-Across and 32-Across (2 wds.) |
| 54% | URIS | 4 | "Mila 18" author Leon |
| 53% | DAVIDMITCHELL | 13 | English novelist who wrote "Cloud Atlas," "The Bone Clocks," and 18-Across (2 wds.) |
| 52% | DONDELILLO | 10 | Author of "Libra" and "Mao II" who wrote 18-, 26-, and 35-Across: 2 wds. |
| 52% | RUDYARDKIPLING | 14 | English author who wrote the children's literature at 18- and 41-Across: 2 wds. |
| 52% | DONDELILLO | 10 | American novelist who wrote "Mao II," 18-Across, 25-Across, and 34-Across (2 wds.) |
| 51% | URIS | 4 | Author of "Mila 18," Leon ___ |
| 51% | ROBERTBPARKER | 13 | Detective novelist who wrote nine books featuring 18-Across and 40 books featuring Spenser (3 wds.) |
| 51% | SCOTT | 5 | With 30-Across, NPR host who wrote 18-Across, 43-Across, and 2020's "Sunnyside Plaza" |
| 51% | JASONREYNOLDS | 13 | National Ambassador for Young People's Literature who wrote 18-Across and 39-Across (2 wds.) |
| 50% | JOHNSTEINBECK | 13 | Nobel Prize-winning writer born February 27, 1902, who wrote 18-Across and 44-Across (2 wds.) |
| 50% | LOUISEERDRICH | 13 | Native American novelist who wrote 18-Across, 44-Across, and 2020's "The Night Watchman" (2 wds.) |
| 50% | BARACKOBAMA | 11 | Former U.S. President who wrote "Dreams from My Father," 18-Across, and 29-Across (2 wds.) |
| 50% | MARYSHELLEY | 11 | Author who began writing 28-Across at the age of 18: 2 wds. |
| 49% | URIS | 4 | "QB VII" and "Mila 18" novelist Leon |
| 46% | NASH | 4 | Who wrote "Parsley / Is gharsley" |
| 46% | GRETATHUNBERG | 13 | Swedish environmental activist who wrote "No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference" and who turns 18 today (2 wds.) |
| 46% | ISAAC | 5 | Singer who wrote |
| 46% | ANNE | 4 | Rice who wrote |