| 100% | OCASEK | 6 | Ric who wrote the hit song "My Best Friend's Girl" |
| 46% | OCASEK | 6 | "My Best Friend's Girl" songwriter Ric |
| 44% | KOOMSON | 7 | Dorothy —, author of novels My Best Friend's Girl and The Ice Cream Girls |
| 42% | ALEC | 4 | Greven who wrote the 2008 best seller "How to Talk to Girls" |
| 40% | JORDANCHILES | 12 | 2024 Team USA gymnast who wrote the best-selling 2025 memoir "I'm That Girl": 2 wds. |
| 40% | FRANKSINATRA | 12 | Singer and actor for whom Paul Anka wrote the hit song "My Way": 2 wds. |
| 40% | BERT | 4 | Ernie's best friend on "Sesame Street" for whom Ernie dedicated the song "That's What Friends Are For" |
| 39% | BANANARAMA | 10 | A popular girl group who sang the hit song "Venus" |
| 39% | ALAN | 4 | Actor Alda who wrote the best-seller "If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?" |
| 39% | CHALK | 5 | I am a teacher's best friend. I help them write on the blackboard. Who am I? |
| 39% | WOODY | 5 | Buzz Lightyear's best friend in "Toy Story" who features in the song "You've Got a Friend in Me" |
| 38% | SAMPRAS | 7 | Sports star who wrote the 2008 best seller "A Champion's Mind" |
| 38% | ANKA | 4 | Singer/songwriter Paul who wrote the memoir (and the song) "My Way" |
| 38% | ANKA | 4 | Singer-songwriter Paul who wrote the memoir (and the song) "My Way" |
| 38% | ROBLOWE | 7 | "The West Wing" actor who wrote the 2011 memoir "Stories I Only Tell My Friends": 2 wds. |
| 38% | THECARS | 7 | "My Best Friend's Girl" group |
| 38% | THECARS | 7 | "My Best Friend's Girl" band |
| 38% | CAROLEKING | 10 | Frequent collaborator of 42-Across who wrote the song "You've Got a Friend" as a response to 18-Across (2 wds.) |
| 38% | IRIS | 4 | Rock musician Donnie ___, who wrote the hit "The Rapper" |
| 38% | THECARS | 7 | "My Best Friend's Girl" rock band |
| 37% | SIA | 3 | One-named singer who wrote Rihanna's hit song "Diamonds" |
| 37% | COHEN | 5 | Leonard who wrote the song "Hallelujah" |
| 37% | OTIS | 4 | Redding who wrote the song "Respect" |
| 37% | LENA | 4 | Dunham who wrote the sitcom Girls |
| 37% | TONICADEBAMBARA | 15 | Author who wrote, “The dream is real, my friends. The failure to make it work is the unreality,” in “The Salt Eaters” |
| 36% | BOB | 3 | Woodward who wrote the best seller "Rage" |
| 36% | JEREMYRENNER | 12 | "Mayor of Kingstown" star who wrote the best-selling 2025 memoir "My Next Breath": 2 wds. |
| 36% | MADONNA | 7 | Icon behind the hit song "Material Girl" |
| 36% | MADONNA | 7 | Singer behind the hit song "Material Girl" |
| 36% | TINA | 4 | Fey, who wrote the movie Mean Girls |