| 100% | RIDING | 6 | Little Red ___ Hood, literary character in a red cloak who encounters a sly wolf in the woods |
| 43% | BAD | 3 | The Big ___ Wolf, cunning literary character who "huffs and puffs" down houses in "The Three Little Pigs" |
| 35% | EARS | 4 | One giveaway for the wolf in "Little Red Riding Hood" |
| 34% | ASK | 3 | "I sort of hate to ___ it, but do you have a basket?" (rhyming question from Little Red in "Into the Woods") |
| 33% | HUMPTY | 6 | ___ Dumpty, popular nursery rhyme character who was a reformed antagonist in the "Shrek" universe |
| 33% | DARROW | 6 | Lawyer Clarence who inspired a character in "Inherit the Wind" |
| 33% | RED | 3 | "Little ___ Riding Hood," European folk tale about a girl who goes into the woods to meet her grandmother |
| 33% | EEYORE | 6 | Literary character who lives in the Gloomy Place |
| 33% | MACBETH | 7 | Scottish king who's the title character in a Shakespeare tragedy |
| 33% | SPONGEBOB | 9 | Character who lives in a pineapple under the sea |
| 33% | JOHNNYBENCH | 11 | Reds catcher who was a 10-time All-Star in the 1970s: 2 wds. |
| 32% | DEAN | 4 | ___ Winchester, character who becomes a "temporary vampire" in the TV series "Supernatural" |
| 32% | PUSS | 4 | ___ in Boots, character from a fairy tale who is seen in the "Shrek" franchise |
| 32% | BABE | 4 | Little pig who's the main character in two 1990s movies |
| 32% | HOMER | 5 | The Simpsons character who bets against Lisa in a crossword tournament |
| 32% | NEO | 3 | Character who takes the red pill in "The Matrix" |
| 32% | NATURIST | 8 | Person who appreciates a walk in the woods, say |
| 32% | PARR | 4 | Catherine who’s a character in the musical “Six” |
| 32% | RICHARDCASTLE | 13 | Writer who was the title character in a 2009-2016 crime series: 2 wds. |
| 32% | MICE | 4 | Three Blind ___, characters from a nursery rhyme who are seen in the "Shrek" franchise |
| 32% | FAUST | 5 | Classic literary character who makes a deal with the devil |
| 32% | ARI | 3 | Onassis who's a character in the 2024 biopic "Maria" |
| 31% | ART | 3 | ___ Vandelay, recurring fake "Seinfeld" character who appears as a real judge in the series finale |
| 31% | IAGO | 4 | Character who is briefly turned into a roc in the 2019 movie "Aladdin" |
| 31% | NALA | 4 | Character who throws the hyena Shenzi off Pride Rock, in a 2019 film |
| 31% | MARCH | 5 | ___ Hare, character whom Alice encounters during a tea party in 17a |
| 31% | HOOK | 4 | Captain ___, popular character from "Peter Pan" who was a villain in the "Shrek" franchise |
| 31% | DEPP | 4 | Actor Johnny who plays the Big Bad Wolf in "Into the Woods" |
| 31% | MOCK | 4 | ___ Turtle, character named after a Victorian dish whom Alice encounters in 17a |
| 31% | SULU | 4 | "Star Trek" character who was named for a sea in the Philippines |