| 100% | MIKES | 5 | Little Caesars Pizza founder Ilitch and Pence who lost twice to Sharp |
| 28% | ADLAI | 5 | Politician Stevenson who lost to Eisenhower twice |
| 27% | WJB | 3 | Orator who lost to McKinley and Taft: inits. |
| 26% | LIST | 4 | What Santa checks twice to see who's naughty and nice |
| 25% | NEMO | 4 | Film fish who was lost and found before Dory |
| 24% | NIN | 3 | Who said "We write to taste life twice, in the moment, and in retrospection" |
| 24% | AROACE | 6 | Like someone who experiences little to no sexual and romantic attraction, for short |
| 24% | MATSWILANDER | 12 | Swedish tennis great who lost to 25-Across in the 1987 French Open and US Open (2 wds.) |
| 24% | EVANDER | 7 | He lost twice to Riddick |
| 23% | ADLAI | 5 | Stevenson who lost twice for president |
| 23% | SECRETMENU | 10 | Food only found by those who know, and a hint to this puzzle's theme |
| 23% | NEMO | 4 | Disney's clownfish who is lost in the ocean and trying to reunite with his father |
| 23% | DAVIS | 5 | Vernon ___, football tight-end who retired in 2020 and made it to Pro the Bowl twice |
| 22% | DOMITIUS | 8 | & 24A Most devoted friend of Antony who defects to Caesar in William Shakespeare play Antony and Cleopatra |
| 22% | DOLE | 4 | Bob who lost to Bill |
| 22% | BARRY | 5 | Goldwater who lost to Johnson |
| 22% | ALF | 3 | Landon who lost to FDR |
| 22% | ATQUE | 5 | And, to Caesar |
| 22% | STEVIE | 6 | Singer Nicks who is the only woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice |
| 22% | MELISSAGILBERT | 14 | TV actress who wrote "My Prairie Cookbook: Memories and Frontier Food From My Little House to Yours": 2 wds. |
| 22% | SLIP | 4 | In cricket, the position of the fielder who stands a little behind and to the offside of the wicketkeeper |
| 21% | RIGGS | 5 | Bobby who lost to Billie Jean |
| 21% | DOLE | 4 | Bob who lost to Bill Clinton |
| 21% | RIGGS | 5 | Bobby who lost to a King |
| 21% | ETALIA | 6 | And others, to Caesar |
| 21% | CRUSOE | 6 | Robinson ___, Daniel Defoe's shipwrecked sailor who gets lost at sea and has to survive alone on a deserted island |
| 21% | BAER | 4 | Champ who lost his title to Braddock |
| 21% | MITT | 4 | Romney who lost to Obama in 2012 |
| 21% | SHUE | 4 | Best Actress nominee who lost to Sarandon |
| 21% | REA | 3 | Actor who lost to Pacino in 1993 |