| 100% | CENTURYCYCLE | 12 | Series of 10 plays by 14-Across, including "Fences" and "The Piano Lesson," that chronicle life in Black America over a 100-year span: 2 wds. |
| 32% | GUYSWITHKIDS | 12 | A TV series co-created and written by Jimmy Fallon, chronicling the lives of three friends and their children: 3 wds. |
| 31% | CANDIDA | 7 | Comedy play written by George Bernard Shaw in 1894 that revolves around the lives of a clergyman and his wife |
| 31% | VITOCORLEONE | 12 | Mafia don played by both 14-Across and 28-Across in the "Godfather" franchise: 2 wds. |
| 30% | GLORIASTEINEM | 13 | Feminist journalist played by 15-Across and Alicia Vikander in a 2020 biopic based on the memoir "My Life on the Road" (2 wds.) |
| 30% | DOLORESHUERTA | 13 | Civil rights leader, played by Rosario Dawson in the 18-Across biopic, who received a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012: 2 wds. |
| 29% | PIECEOFME | 9 | Song by 32-Across that won three MTV Video Music Awards in 2008, including Video of the Year (3 wds.) |
| 29% | SARAHCONNOR | 11 | Action hero played by 48-Across in a film series that began with 15-Across (2 wds.) |
| 28% | BREAKINGBAD | 11 | AMC crime drama named best dramatic series of 2011, 2012, and 2013 by the Writers Guild of America: 2 wds. |
| 28% | TIMES | 5 | "Fast ___ at Ridgemont High," 1982 film starring Sean Penn that chronicles a year in the lives of high school students |
| 28% | PULITZERPRIZE | 13 | Award that 14-Across won twice, for "Fences" and "The Piano Lesson": 2 wds. |
| 28% | STARRCARTER | 11 | Character played by Amandla Stenberg in the movie adaptation of 30-Across: 2 wds. |
| 28% | MISSYELLIOTT | 12 | 14-Across and 29-Across rapper in the Songwriters Hall of Fame who turns 50 years old this week (2 wds.) |
| 27% | COUNTOLAF | 9 | Villain played by Jim Carrey in "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" (2 wds.) |
| 27% | YOURESOVAIN | 11 | Carly Simon song that was in the Top 10 on the "Billboard" Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1973 (3 wds.) |
| 27% | LETSGETITON | 11 | Marvin Gaye song that was in the Top 10 on the "Billboard" Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1973 (4 wds.) |
| 27% | AUGUSTWILSON | 12 | Playwright whose "Fences" and "The Piano Lesson" won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1987 and 1990: 2 wds. |
| 27% | WALKLIKEAMAN | 12 | No. 1 song by 30-Across that's included in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's list of "Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll" (4 wds.) |
| 27% | CORKOCONNOR | 11 | Former small-town sheriff featured in a series of novels by William Kent Krueger, including "Iron Lake," 18-Across, and 29-Across (2 wds.) |
| 27% | LAVENDERHAZE | 12 | 2022 top 10 hit by Taylor Swift that has a foggy weather term in the title: 2 wds. |
| 27% | MIDNIGHTRAIN | 12 | 2022 top 10 hit by Taylor Swift that has a wet weather term in the title: 2 wds. |
| 27% | ELAINEBENES | 11 | Character played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a sitcom about "nothing" that ended May 14, 1998 (2 wds.) |
| 27% | JUNEOSBORNE | 11 | Original name of the character played by 30a in the series in 18a: 2 wds. |
| 27% | JAMESEARLJONES | 14 | "Coming 2 America" actor who won two Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Play, for "The Great White Hope" and "Fences" (3 wds.) |
| 27% | BUFFYSUMMERS | 12 | Title vampire slayer played by Sarah Michelle Gellar on a series that debuted 25 years ago this year (2 wds.) |
| 26% | SIXTEEN | 7 | Next number in a series suggested by the starts of 17-, 27-, 46- and 60-Across |
| 26% | PINBALLWIZARD | 13 | "Tommy" song sung by 47-Across that's the only cover of a Who song to reach the Top 10 (2 wds.) |
| 26% | JACKSPARROW | 11 | Pirate captain played by Johnny Depp in "Pirates of the Caribbean": 2 wds. |
| 26% | COSMOKRAMER | 11 | Character played by Michael Richards in "Seinfeld", who is 32-Across's neighbor and is often called a "hipster doofus": 2 wds. |
| 26% | IMTHEONE | 8 | Song by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne that topped the Billboard Hot 100 for a week in 2017 (3 wds.) |