| 100% | LIMBAUGH | 8 | Radio personality - with an estimated 15 million weekly listeners - who recently announced a likely reduction in air time for health reasons |
| 25% | EBRO | 4 | Hot 97 radio personality who shares a name with an Iberian river |
| 24% | TEMP | 4 | Person who works in an office for a short time |
| 24% | PITT | 4 | Brad ___ who won an Academy Award for "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" |
| 23% | PITT | 4 | Actor who won an Oscar for his supporting role in 2019’s “Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood” |
| 22% | SOTO | 4 | Juan ___, baseball superstar who signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets in December 2024 |
| 22% | NEIL | 4 | With 15-Across, "How I Met Your Mother" actor who won a 2014 Tony Award for starring in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" |
| 22% | BLANCHETT | 9 | "The House with a Clock in Its Walls" actress Cate who also won an Oscar for her role in "Blue Jasmine" |
| 21% | BRAD | 4 | ___ Pitt, actor who won an award for the Best Supporting Actor for "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" at the 92nd Academy Awards |
| 21% | MICHAELKEATON | 13 | Actor who shared SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Motion Picture with the casts of 18-Across and 33-Across (2 wds.) |
| 20% | SMOG | 4 | Reason for an air quality alert in Beijing or Los Angeles |
| 20% | TRUMAN | 6 | With 33-Across, friend of 15-Across who was the basis for Dill in "To Kill a Mockingbird" |
| 20% | SKYWRITER | 9 | One who scrawls words in the air with a plane |
| 20% | ICESKATES | 9 | Boots with blades for those who dance in a rink |
| 20% | MARINEONE | 9 | Presidential carrier that flew with an all-women crew for the first time in 2009 |
| 20% | CAHN | 4 | Sammy —, lyricist who won an Oscar for Three Coins in a Fountain |
| 20% | JIMMYKIMMEL | 11 | Talk show host who recently hosted the Oscars for the second year in a row: 2 wds. |
| 20% | LUPITA | 6 | With 18-Across, Kenyan-Mexican actress who won an Oscar for "12 Years a Slave" |
| 20% | EBB | 3 | With 15-Across, 1953 song that was a hit for the Righteous Brothers in 1965 |
| 19% | OREOS | 5 | Cookies paired with Coca-Cola in a "Besties for a limited time" promotion |
| 19% | GERRITCOLE | 10 | Pitcher who signed a $324 million contract with the Yankees in 2019: 2 wds. |
| 19% | ALDA | 4 | Actor Alan who was nominated for an Oscar, an Emmy, and a Tony in 2005 |
| 19% | ALEXRODRIGUEZ | 13 | Third baseman who signed a $275 million contract with the Yankees in 2007: 2 wds. |
| 19% | AARONJUDGE | 10 | Right fielder who signed a $360 million contract with the Yankees in 2022: 2 wds. |
| 19% | MIKETYSON | 9 | Boxer with a cameo in "The Hangover" who filed for bankruptcy in 2003: 2 wds. |
| 19% | JAMIEFOXX | 9 | Actor who won an Oscar for portraying Ray Charles in a 2004 biopic: 2 wds. |
| 19% | BEE | 3 | ___ Gees, music trio who performed with ABBA in 1979 at a charity concert for UNICEF |
| 19% | STARLINCASTRO | 13 | Yankees second baseman, who is a three-time All-Star and holds a record for most runs batted in an MLB debut : 2 wds. |
| 19% | FLAGRANTFOUL | 12 | Reason for an ejection in the N.B.A. |
| 19% | NOMAN | 5 | For whom "time and tide wait," in a saying |