| 100% | NOAH | 4 | Starting pitcher Syndergaard whose nickname is "Thor" |
| 47% | DIAMONDJIMBRADY | 15 | Early railroad tycoon whose nickname is a hint to the starts of 17-, 23-, 51- and 62-Across |
| 43% | HAWK | 4 | Skateboarder Tony whose nickname is "Birdman" |
| 42% | DWAYNE | 6 | Actor Johnson whose nickname is "The Rock" |
| 42% | AHAB | 4 | Fictional captain whose nickname is "Old Thunder" |
| 42% | IBM | 3 | Tech company whose nickname is "Big Blue" |
| 42% | AHAB | 4 | Fictional captain whose nickname is Old Thunder |
| 42% | ELLE | 4 | Model Macpherson whose nickname is "the Body" |
| 42% | MONTANA | 7 | State whose nickname is "Big Sky Country" |
| 42% | GOLDENCALF | 10 | Biblical idol ... whose start is a state nickname for the state indicated by the circled squares |
| 42% | FIRSTRESPONDER | 14 | Emergency worker ... whose start is a state nickname for the state indicated by the circled squares |
| 42% | NEMO | 4 | Pixar title character whose nickname was "Sharkbait" |
| 41% | IVAN | 4 | Retired baseball catcher Rodriguez whose nickname is "Pudge" |
| 41% | COUPLES | 7 | US Golfer Fred whose nickname is Boom Boom |
| 41% | ELS | 3 | Golfer Ernie whose nickname is "the Big Easy" |
| 41% | OMAR | 4 | Former shortstop Vizquel whose nickname is "Little O" |
| 41% | PABLO | 5 | Baseballer Sandoval whose nickname is Kung Fu Panda |
| 41% | DEREK | 5 | Baseball great Jeter whose nickname was "Captain Clutch" |
| 41% | ELROY | 5 | ___ Hirsch, former NFL player whose nickname was "Crazylegs" |
| 40% | ALA | 3 | State whose nickname is "the Heart of Dixie": Abbr. |
| 40% | NATE | 4 | Basketball Hall of Famer Archibald whose nickname is "Tiny" |
| 40% | ERNIEFORD | 9 | "Sixteen Tons" singer whose nickname is his birth state |
| 40% | ALOHASHIRT | 10 | Article of tropical apparel ... whose start is a state nickname for the state indicated by the circled squares |
| 40% | HOLIDAY | 7 | Billie —, US jazz singer whose nickname was Lady Day |
| 40% | NAMATH | 6 | Joe ___, former NFL quarterback whose nickname was "Broadway Joe" |
| 40% | BAYMARE | 7 | Secretariat's mother, for one ... whose start is a state nickname for the state indicated by the circled squares |
| 40% | SHOWMETHEMONEY | 14 | Catchphrase shouted in "Jerry Maguire" ... whose start is a state nickname for the state indicated by the circled squares |
| 40% | WILLIAM | 7 | ___ Perry, former NFL defensive tackle whose nickname was "The Refrigerator" |
| 39% | SNAKE | 5 | Pet whose nickname might be Fang? |
| 39% | WALTER | 6 | ___ Payton, former NFL running back whose nickname was "Sweetness" in college |