| 100% | GEORGESMILEY | 12 | Long-running fictional hero who made his debut in "Call for the Dead" |
| 47% | EZRA | 4 | ___ Miller, an actor who made his debut in the film "Afterschool" |
| 45% | GEORGESMILEY | 12 | Fictional spy who first appeared in "Call for the Dead" |
| 44% | SEANPENN | 8 | Oscar winner who made his debut in an episode of Little House on the Prairie directed by his father |
| 43% | STYLES | 6 | Singer Harry who makes his acting debut in the upcoming movie "Dunkirk" |
| 41% | NEDBEATTY | 9 | "Network" Oscar nominee who made his film debut playing Bobby Trippe in the 1972 film "Deliverance" (2 wds.) |
| 40% | BETOOROURKE | 11 | Texas congressman who made a much-watched run for the Senate in 2018: 2 wds. |
| 40% | DOOM | 4 | Doctor ___, Marvel's supervillain who made his debut in "Fantastic Four" |
| 40% | MILER | 5 | One who's in it for the long run |
| 40% | MARATHONER | 10 | Person who's in it for the long run? |
| 37% | ICET | 4 | Actor who made his film debut in "Breakin'," 1984 |
| 37% | EDASNER | 7 | Actor who made his film debut in "Kid Galahad," 1962 |
| 37% | PATEL | 5 | Actor Dev who made his film debut in "Slumdog Millionaire" |
| 37% | PACINO | 6 | Oscar winner who made his film debut in "Me, Natalie," 1969 |
| 36% | ELBA | 4 | Actor Idris who made his Coachella debut as a DJ in 2019 |
| 36% | DEPP | 4 | Johnny who made his film debut in "A Nightmare on Elm Street" |
| 36% | THEJOLLY | 8 | Mascot who made his Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade debut in 2017 |
| 36% | SOS | 3 | Call for assistance hidden in the four longest puzzle answers |
| 36% | CURIOUSGEORGE | 13 | The Reys' kid-lit monkey, who made his big-screen debut in 2006: 2 wds. |
| 35% | MILER | 5 | One in it for the long run? |
| 35% | CURIOUSGEORGE | 13 | H.A. Rey monkey who made his big-screen debut in 2006 (2 wds.) |
| 35% | TAYE | 4 | Actor Diggs who made his film debut in "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" |
| 35% | VET | 3 | Doc who makes house calls at the zoo, for short |
| 35% | DEMPSEY | 7 | Girvan —, rugby union full back who made his Ireland Test debut against Georgia in 1998 |
| 35% | WINNIETHEPOOH | 13 | A.A. Milne's kid-lit bear, who made his big-screen debut in 1966: Hyph. |
| 35% | URIE | 4 | Panic! at the Disco front man Brendon who made his Broadway debut in "Kinky Boots" |
| 35% | SOSA | 4 | Former baseball player Sammy who was known for his home-run hitting skills in the '90s |
| 34% | EVAN | 4 | Infielder Longoria who made the All-Star Team in his rookie season |
| 34% | PAULDOWNS | 9 | "Broad City" comedian who makes his film debut in "Rough Night," which he also cowrote: 2 wds. |
| 34% | DDE | 3 | W.W. II hero who retired from the mil. to run for president |