| 100% | ELLISON | 7 | National Medal of Arts recipient whose novel "Juneteenth" was published posthumously |
| 39% | OATES | 5 | National Humanities Medal recipient who has published over fifty novels |
| 39% | OSSIE | 5 | National Medal of Arts winner Davis |
| 38% | EDITHWHARTON | 12 | American writer whose novel "The Age of Innocence" was published in 1920 (2 wds.) |
| 36% | STANLEE | 7 | Comic book writer with a National Medal of Arts |
| 36% | ODETTA | 6 | Singer awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1999 |
| 36% | OLLIE | 5 | Disney animator Johnston who received the National Medal of Arts |
| 36% | MAURICESENDAK | 13 | Children's author/illustrator with a National Medal of Arts |
| 36% | ALPERT | 6 | Herb honored with a National Medal of Arts in 2013 |
| 35% | PERSUASION | 10 | Jane Austen novel published posthumously in 1817 whose protagonist is Anne Elliot |
| 34% | JASPERJOHNS | 11 | "Three Flags" painter who received the National Medal of Arts in 1990: 2 wds. |
| 34% | ANDREWWYETH | 11 | "Christina's World" painter who received the National Medal of Arts in 2007: 2 wds. |
| 33% | BARACKOBAMA | 11 | U.S. President who awarded Rita Moreno the National Medal of Arts in 2009 (2 wds.) |
| 33% | CHUCK | 5 | With 33-Across, "Big Self-Portrait" painter who received the National Medal of Arts in 2000 |
| 33% | RUBYDEE | 7 | Actress and activist who was awarded the National Medal of Arts, along with her husband, in 1995 |
| 33% | BEVERLYSILLS | 12 | Opera singer who chaired Lincoln Center and received the National Medal of Arts in 1990: 2 wds. |
| 31% | MARILYNHORNE | 12 | Opera singer who performed at Clinton's 1993 inauguration and received the National Medal of Arts in 1992: 2 wds. |
| 30% | DIANAGABALDON | 13 | Writer whose novels are the basis of the "Outlander" TV series (2 wds.) |
| 30% | KATHYREICHS | 11 | Writer whose novels are the basis of the "Bones" TV series (2 wds.) |
| 30% | IMPEI | 5 | Medal of Freedom recipient ''whose work graces skylines worldwide'' |
| 30% | TESSGERRITSEN | 13 | Writer whose novels are the basis of the "Rizzoli & Isles" TV series (2 wds.) |
| 30% | SPINOZA | 7 | Baruch —, Dutch philosopher whose Ethics was posthumously published in 1677 |
| 30% | LOLITA | 6 | Noted novel in the guise of a posthumously published memoir |
| 30% | EREWHON | 7 | 1872 utopian novel whose title is an anagram of NOWHERE |
| 30% | AGATHACHRISTIE | 14 | British writer whose novel "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" was published in 1920 (2 wds.) |
| 29% | MCNEILE | 7 | H C —, author whose novels, including Mufti and Ronald Standish, were published under the name Sapper |
| 29% | BEETON | 6 | Isabella —, cook whose Book of Household Management was first published in 1861 |
| 29% | REDRUM | 6 | Three-time Grand National champion whose name is a kind of liquor |
| 29% | ROAM | 4 | B-52s hit whose title is a homophone of a national capital |
| 29% | ANAIS | 5 | Nin whose seventh diary volume was published posthumously |