| 100% | ONEAL | 5 | Shaq who earned an Ed.D. degree in May 2012 |
| 34% | WAGE | 4 | What an employee may earn in an hour |
| 34% | HENRYWINKLER | 12 | "Barry" Emmy winner who earned an MFA from the Yale School of Drama in 1970 (2 wds.) |
| 34% | AGENT | 5 | Representative who may be thanked in an Oscar speech |
| 34% | PARAMEDIC | 9 | Health-care worker who might work in an ambulance |
| 34% | RACHELMADDOW | 12 | MSNBC host who earned a doctoral degree in politics from Oxford University: 2 wds. |
| 33% | AMISS | 5 | D L —, England cricketer who scored the first century in an ODI |
| 33% | PAULGIAMATTI | 12 | "John Adams" Golden Globe winner who earned an MFA from the Yale School of Drama in 1994 (2 wds.) |
| 33% | PHD | 3 | Degree that someone might earn after an M.S. or M.A.: Abbr. |
| 33% | EMT | 3 | Worker who might travel to an ER in an ambulance: Abbr. |
| 33% | MIME | 4 | Performer who might pretend to be trapped in an invisible box |
| 33% | SHAQUILLEONEAL | 14 | Basketball great who earned a doctoral degree in human resource development from Barry University: 2 wds. |
| 32% | LOPEZ | 5 | Jennifer who was an "American Idol" judge in 2012 |
| 32% | STUNTMAN | 8 | Daredevil who might take the place of an actor in a dangerous scene |
| 32% | LANDAU | 6 | Martin who won an Oscar as Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood |
| 32% | ANGELAMERKEL | 12 | German chancellor who earned a doctoral degree in quantum chemistry from the German Academy of Sciences: 2 wds. |
| 31% | OBIT | 4 | Notice published for 36-Across in May 2012 |
| 31% | MARTINFREEMAN | 13 | Actor who played Bilbo Baggins in 2012's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey": 2 wds. |
| 31% | ANGELABASSETT | 13 | "What's Love Got to Do with It" Oscar nominee who earned an MFA from the Yale School of Drama in 1983 (2 wds.) |
| 31% | WONDER | 6 | Stevie who received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Yale in 2017 |
| 31% | DEPP | 4 | Johnny who had an uncredited cameo in 2012's "21 Jump Street" movie |
| 31% | CHANNINGTATUM | 13 | Actor who played an exotic dancer in 2012's "Magic Mike": 2 wds. |
| 30% | SEAU | 4 | Retired linebacker Junior who left us in May 2012 |
| 30% | ELGAR | 5 | Edward —, composer who wrote Salut d’Amour as an engagement present for his fiancee in 1888 |
| 30% | ONEAL | 5 | Shaq who starred in "Kazaam" |
| 30% | ANNE | 4 | Hathaway who earned an Oscar for "Les Misérables" |
| 30% | EMMA | 4 | Stone who earned an Oscar nomination for "Birdman" |
| 30% | CSI | 3 | "___: Miami" (David Caruso series canceled in May 2012) |
| 30% | BEAR | 4 | Term for an investor who expects a drop in prices, that you may overhear on Wall Street |
| 30% | BULL | 4 | Term for an investor who expects a rise in prices, that you may overhear on Wall Street |