| 100% | NHL | 3 | Sports organization for the teams featured in this puzzle (Abbr.) |
| 57% | NCAA | 4 | Sports org. that oversees the events featured in this puzzle (Abbr.) |
| 51% | MLS | 3 | Sports organization for teams like the Los Angeles Galaxy that kick the ball around a lot: Abbr. |
| 49% | DEFENSIVELINE | 13 | Part of a football team featured in this puzzle: 2 wds. |
| 48% | NHL | 3 | Sports organization for the Flyers and the Bruins: Abbr. |
| 47% | PGA | 3 | Sports organization for players on the green: Abbr. |
| 46% | USOC | 4 | The Amateur Sports Act of 1978 established this body, responsible for entering and overseeing teams in international competition |
| 45% | USA | 3 | Ryder Cup team that all of this puzzle's featured athletes played for in 2018 (Abbr.) |
| 44% | NFL | 3 | Sports organization that the Carolina Panthers play in: Abbr. |
| 43% | NBA | 3 | Sports league for the players in 17a, 29a and 39a: Abbr. |
| 43% | VFW | 3 | Organization for American soldiers who served the country in wars: Abbr. |
| 43% | DAR | 3 | Lineage based organization for women in the US: Abbr. |
| 43% | ABC | 3 | Kind of order for the circled letters in this puzzle |
| 43% | NASA | 4 | Organization featured in the movie "Hidden Figures": Abbr. |
| 42% | PEOPLEOFNOTE | 12 | Luminaries like the eight featured in this puzzle? (hint: look at their first few letters) |
| 42% | LITTHEOLYMPICCAULDRON | 21 | What this puzzle’s featured athletes did in the years indicated |
| 42% | MLS | 3 | Sports group for such teams as the New England Revolution: Abbr. |
| 42% | BBALL | 5 | A casual name for the sport played by teams in 16a: Hyph. |
| 41% | PERSONAL | 8 | Like the 52-Across featured in this puzzle |
| 41% | ENG | 3 | Language of the words in this puzzle: Abbr. |
| 41% | END | 3 | Appropriate answer for this spot in the puzzle |
| 40% | TEN | 3 | Number of mispelled words in this puzzle's clues (oh, by the way, watch out for those tricky circled squares!) |
| 40% | CHINESEZODIAC | 13 | Collection of animals featured in this puzzle |
| 40% | WBA | 3 | Sports organization for pugilists: Abbr. |
| 39% | TINSMITH | 8 | Artisan whose work is featured in this puzzle? |
| 39% | PGA | 3 | Sports organization for Rory McIlroy: Abbr. |
| 39% | PGA | 3 | Sports organization for Tiger Woods: Abbr. |
| 39% | PGA | 3 | Sports organization for Jordan Spieth: Abbr. |
| 39% | AARP | 4 | Organization for the older generation: Abbr. |
| 39% | NBA | 3 | Organization for the LA Lakers: Abbr. |