| 100% | SAILON | 6 | Longfellow's words before "O Ship of State!" |
| 59% | SAILON | 6 | Poetic command before "O Ship of State!" |
| 58% | SAILON | 6 | "___, O Ship of State!" |
| 53% | ONO | 3 | "Sail ___ Ship of State!": Longfellow |
| 47% | WHEEL | 5 | Word before "house" to refer to a part of a boat or ship, and something that's not actually a house |
| 44% | OPENSINCE | 9 | Words before a business's date of establishment |
| 42% | NEE | 3 | Word before a woman's maiden name (anagram of "een") |
| 42% | ONO | 3 | "Sail _____ Ship of State!" |
| 42% | ONO | 3 | "Sail — Ship of State!" |
| 42% | ONO | 3 | ''Sail __, Ship of State!'' |
| 41% | CRUDE | 5 | State of natural petroleum before it's refined |
| 40% | NANNY | 5 | Word before goat or state |
| 40% | POLICE | 6 | Word before or after state |
| 40% | NANNY | 5 | Word before cam or state |
| 40% | ZEN | 3 | Word before garden or state |
| 40% | IFNOT | 5 | Words before stating plan B |
| 40% | THUS | 4 | Word before stating a conclusion |
| 39% | YEAH | 4 | Word repeated in the name of Karen O's band |
| 39% | CITY | 4 | Last word of four U.S. state capitals |
| 39% | ESSE | 4 | First word of North Carolina's state motto |
| 39% | FUM | 3 | Last word spoken by the giant before he stated he could smell the blood of an Englishman |
| 39% | IFNOT | 5 | Words before stating a plan B |
| 39% | ODE | 3 | "To the Ship of State," by Horace, e.g. |
| 38% | HAIG | 4 | Secretary of state before Shultz |
| 38% | ACHESON | 7 | Secretary of state before Dulles |
| 38% | THEE | 4 | Word before "sweet land of liberty" |
| 38% | SONORA | 6 | State S of Arizona |
| 37% | FARM | 4 | Word before "E, I, E, I, O," in song |
| 37% | SHAMEON | 7 | Words of reproof before "you" |
| 37% | EMOJI | 5 | Text picture that was the OED's 2015 Word of the Year |