| 100% | ENNIUS | 6 | Quintus —, Roman author of epic poem Annales who died in 169 BC |
| 54% | ENNIUS | 6 | Quintus —, Roman epic poet and dramatist who died in 169 BC |
| 40% | PLINY | 5 | — the Elder, Roman author who died witnessing the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD |
| 34% | LYSANDER | 8 | Spartan naval commander of the Peloponnesian war who died in 395 BC |
| 32% | DIONYSIUS | 9 | — I, tyrant of Syracuse who died in 367 BC |
| 32% | XERXES | 6 | — I, King of Persia who died in 465 BC |
| 31% | TASSO | 5 | Torquato —, 16th-century Italian author of epic poem Jerusalem Delivered |
| 31% | ARIOSTO | 7 | Ludovico —, Italian author of epic poem Orlando Furioso and play I Suppositi |
| 30% | AIDA | 4 | Slave who dies in the Temple of Vulcan |
| 30% | AIDA | 4 | Princess who dies in the temple of Vulcan |
| 30% | YODA | 4 | Guru who dies in "Return of the Jedi" |
| 30% | TONIMORRISON | 12 | Author who died in 2019 and was, as David Remnick wrote, “unsparing in her depiction of people who would use language to evil ends” |
| 30% | ELDER | 5 | Pliny the ___ (Roman naturalist who died in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius) |
| 30% | AGRIPPA | 7 | Marcus Vipsanius —, Roman general, son-in-law of Augustus, who died in 12 BC |
| 30% | RAMAYANA | 8 | Epic poem of ancient India, written in Sanskrit |
| 29% | LEE | 3 | Author Harper ___ who died in February |
| 29% | TONI | 4 | Author Morrison who died in 2019 |
| 29% | ELI | 3 | Actor Wallach who died in 2014 at the age of 98 |
| 29% | SOCRATES | 8 | Greek philosopher who died in 399 BC |
| 29% | BENJONSON | 9 | Author of stage plays The Alchemist and Volpone who died in 1637 |
| 29% | ASTOR | 5 | John Jacob ___ IV (millionaire who died in the sinking of the Titanic) |
| 29% | LEAR | 4 | TV producer Norman who died in December at the age of 101 |
| 29% | HEENAN | 6 | John —, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster who died in 1975 |
| 29% | MILTON | 6 | John —, author of the epic poem Paradise Lost |
| 28% | SHAND | 5 | Bruce —, British Army officer who died in 2006; father of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall |
| 28% | SHAND | 5 | Bruce —, British Army officer who died in 2006; father of Camilla, the Queen Consort |
| 28% | DEREKSHEPHERD | 13 | Patrick Dempsey character who died in last Thursday's episode of 18-Across: 2 wds. |
| 28% | OATES | 5 | Lawrence —, explorer who died in 1912 on the second Antarctic expedition of R F Scott |
| 27% | MCA | 3 | Member of the Beastie Boys who died in 2012 |
| 27% | JOE | 3 | Patriarch of the Jackson family who died in June |