| 100% | CANAL | 5 | Suez ___ (waterway obstructed by the ship Ever Given in early 2021) |
| 44% | SUEZCANAL | 9 | Ship Ever Given blocked this trade route in 2021 |
| 42% | EVER | 4 | ___ Given (ship that got stuck in the Suez Canal in 2021) |
| 33% | SERIES | 6 | Outstanding Drama ___ (Emmy won by The Crown in 2021) |
| 31% | AREA | 4 | "Drop by if you're ever in the ___!" |
| 31% | AREA | 4 | "Drop by if you're ever in the ___" |
| 31% | ASPIRIN | 7 | Medicine patented by Bayer in the early 1900s |
| 31% | PRIVATEER | 9 | Ship hired by the government in a war |
| 31% | NINA | 4 | The —, one of three ships commanded by Christopher Columbus in 1492 |
| 31% | EVERGIVEN | 9 | Container ship that caused a blockage in the Suez |
| 31% | OSCAR | 5 | Award won by the director Chloé Zhao in 2021 |
| 30% | PEQUOD | 6 | Ship in the Herman Melville novel Moby-Dick commanded by Captain Ahab |
| 30% | NECK | 4 | "Drop by if you're ever in my ___ of the woods" |
| 29% | IDES | 4 | Day originally marked by a full moon in the early Roman calendar |
| 29% | NICKNEWS | 8 | Show hosted by Linda Ellerbee that began airing in the early nineties |
| 29% | SUEZ | 4 | Canal that was blocked by the "Ever Given" |
| 29% | WITHOUTYOU | 10 | 2020 song by the Kid Laroi whose remix was a top 10 hit in 2021: 2 wds. |
| 29% | ARETHAFRANKLIN | 14 | Singer played by Jennifer Hudson in the 2021 musical biopic "Respect" (2 wds.) |
| 28% | DEBBIEALLEN | 11 | Dancer/choreographer/actress honored by the 32-Across with a Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award in 2021 (2 wds.) |
| 28% | GARTHBROOKS | 11 | Country music star honored by the 32-Across with a Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award in 2021 (2 wds.) |
| 28% | EDGAR | 5 | Award won by Deepa Anappara in 2021, for “Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line” |
| 28% | CRUELLADEVIL | 12 | Character played by Emma Stone in the 2021 Disney film featuring dalmatians: 3 wds. |
| 28% | NYLON | 5 | Substance originally developed by DuPont that in 1935 was given the name "polymer 6-6" |
| 28% | HAVE | 4 | "___ You Ever Seen the Rain," question posed by Creedence Clearwater Revival in a 1971 song |
| 28% | KATIE | 5 | ___ Mitchell, character voiced by Abbi Jacobson in the 2021 film "The Mitchells vs. The Machines" |
| 28% | ARC | 3 | Type of lamp using carbon electrodes invented by Humphry Davy in the early 19th century |
| 28% | FOLKLORE | 8 | Album by Taylor Swift which won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2021 |
| 28% | BLACK | 5 | "___ Parade," single by Beyonce which won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance in 2021 |
| 28% | RAYA | 4 | Warrior princess voiced by Kelly Marie Tran in the 2021 Disney film also starring Awkwafina |
| 28% | GRAYSON | 7 | Marla ___, con artist played by Rosamund Pike in the 2021 film "I Care A Lot" |