| 100% | BUGLER | 6 | Soldier who plays an instrument to send signals |
| 44% | TUNED | 5 | Prepared an instrument to be played |
| 38% | HILARYSWANK | 11 | "Amelia" actress who plays an astronaut heading to Mars on the Netflix series "Away": 2 wds. |
| 37% | SERVICELIST | 11 | Ones to whom an organization's messages are sent |
| 36% | MALEK | 5 | Rami ___, actor who plays Safin, an adversary of 8a in the movie "No Time to Die" |
| 35% | SOLOS | 5 | Plays an instrument in a spotlight, say |
| 35% | TUNED | 5 | Ready to play, as an instrument |
| 35% | BRENT | 5 | Spiner who played an android |
| 34% | DEANJONES | 9 | "The Love Bug" actor who played Wilby Daniels as an adult in the sequel to 29-Across: 2 wds. |
| 34% | TUNES | 5 | Adjusts an instrument to the correct pitch |
| 34% | MUSICALPASS | 11 | Exemption from playing an instrument at school? |
| 34% | SOLO | 4 | By oneself, as when playing an instrument |
| 34% | CHOPS | 5 | One's abilities of playing an instrument |
| 34% | YANG | 4 | Bowen who played an iceberg on "SNL" |
| 34% | DAMIANLEWIS | 11 | English actor who spoke with an American accent to play Nicholas Brody on "Homeland": 2 wds. |
| 33% | TRUMPETER | 9 | Brass musician, plays an instrument with 3 valves |
| 33% | FORWARDER | 9 | One who sends on an email to another |
| 33% | REESE | 5 | Witherspoon who played an angel in "Little Nicky" |
| 33% | ELLE | 4 | Fanning who played an empress in "The Great" |
| 33% | LINUSROACHE | 11 | English actor who spoke with an American accent to play Michael Cutter on "Law & Order": 2 wds. |
| 33% | OBOE | 4 | Instrument to which an orchestra tunes |
| 32% | ELEANORRIGBY | 12 | Beatles song in which no Beatle plays an instrument |
| 32% | ADAM | 4 | Sandler who plays an astronaut in the drama "Spaceman" |
| 32% | MOHR | 4 | Actor Jay who played an agent in "Jerry Maguire" |
| 32% | AMOS | 4 | John who played an older Kunta Kinte on "Roots" |
| 32% | CHARLIEHUNNAM | 13 | English actor who spoke with an American accent to play Jax Teller on "Sons of Anarchy": 2 wds. |
| 32% | CYNICS | 6 | People who know "the price of everything, and the value of nothing," according to an Oscar Wilde play |
| 32% | AWOL | 4 | Soldier who's nowhere to be found |
| 32% | DARYLHANNAH | 11 | "Splash" actress who wore an eyepatch to play Elle Driver in "Kill Bill": 2 wds. |
| 32% | BOBNEWHART | 10 | Sitcom star (he played an innkeeper) who dropped his first name of George to go by his middle name's nickname: 2 wds. |