| 100% | JOHNSTEINBECK | 13 | Nobel Prize-winning writer born February 27, 1902, who wrote 18-Across and 44-Across (2 wds.) |
| 49% | TONIMORRISON | 12 | 18-Across and 32-Across novelist who won the 1993 Nobel Prize for Literature (2 wds.) |
| 48% | JULIANFELLOWES | 14 | 18-Across and 44-Across writer/creator who won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for "Gosford Park" (2 wds.) |
| 44% | LOUISEERDRICH | 13 | Native American novelist who wrote 18-Across, 44-Across, and 2020's "The Night Watchman" (2 wds.) |
| 43% | DENNISLEHANE | 12 | Writer of "Mystic River," 18-Across, and 32-Across who was born August 4, 1965 (2 wds.) |
| 43% | DONDELILLO | 10 | Author of "Libra" and "Mao II" who wrote 18-, 26-, and 35-Across: 2 wds. |
| 42% | FAYEKELLERMAN | 13 | "The Quality of Mercy" novelist who has written 27 mysteries featuring 18-Across and 40-Across (2 wds.) |
| 42% | KAZUOISHIGURO | 13 | British novelist who wrote 19-Across and 31-Across and was awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature (2 wds.) |
| 41% | MUHAMMADYUNUS | 13 | Social entrepreneur and economist who was the first Bangladeshi to win the Nobel Peace Prize: 2 wds. |
| 41% | MOTHERTERESA | 12 | Albanian-Indian nun and missionary who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979: 2 wds. |
| 41% | ASHLEYELSTON | 12 | "10 Blind Dates" author who wrote 18-Across and 32-Across (2 wds.) |
| 41% | CHELSEACLINTON | 14 | Former First Daughter who wrote 19-Across and 44-Across (2 wds.) |
| 40% | JASONREYNOLDS | 13 | National Ambassador for Young People's Literature who wrote 18-Across and 39-Across (2 wds.) |
| 40% | JEFFERYDEAVER | 13 | "The Bone Collector" mystery novelist who created 18-Across and 44-Across (2 wds.) |
| 39% | ROBERTFROST | 11 | 17-Across and 26-Across writer who is the only person to win four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry (2 wds.) |
| 39% | ALICEMUNRO | 10 | Canadian writer who won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature (2 wds.) |
| 39% | LOUISEGLUCK | 11 | American writer who won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature (2 wds.) |
| 39% | OLGATOKARCZUK | 13 | Polish writer who won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature (2 wds.) |
| 39% | TONIMORRISON | 12 | "Beloved" author who died August 5, and who was the first African-American woman to win a Nobel Prize: 2 wds. |
| 39% | HILARYMANTEL | 12 | English writer who has won two Man Booker Prizes for her novels "Wolf Hall" and "Bring Up The Bodies": 2 wds. |
| 39% | NORAROBERTS | 11 | Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame novelist who wrote 12-Across and 25-Across (2 wds.) |
| 39% | NORAROBERTS | 11 | Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame novelist who wrote 17-Across and 29-Across (2 wds.) |
| 39% | TONIMORRISON | 12 | 1993 Nobel Laureate in Literature who was born February 18, 1931 (2 wds.) |
| 39% | STLOUIS | 7 | City where 18-Across played ... and where 44-Across was born: 2 wds. |
| 39% | HERTAMULLER | 11 | Romanian-German writer who won the 2009 Nobel Prize in Literature (2 wds.) |
| 38% | GARRYMARSHALL | 13 | Director/producer/actor who created "Happy Days," developed 18-Across, and directed 44-Across: 2 wds |
| 38% | POSTMALONE | 10 | 18-Across, 27-Across, and 34-Across rapper/singer who won the 2025 American Music Award for Favorite Country Male Artist (2 wds.) |
| 38% | RUDYARDKIPLING | 14 | English author who wrote the children's literature at 18- and 41-Across: 2 wds. |
| 38% | SAMSHEPARD | 10 | Writer, actor, and director who won a Pulitzer Prize for the play "Buried Child" (2 wds.) |
| 38% | ANNPATCHETT | 11 | 15-Across and 43-Across writer who won the Orange Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction for "Bel Canto" (2 wds.) |