| 100% | DOOLIE | 6 | Term for a freshman at the U.S. Air Force Academy |
| 46% | COLORADOSPRINGS | 15 | Home of the U.S. Air Force Academy |
| 44% | SODA | 4 | Generic term for a carbonated beverage, in certain parts of the U.S. |
| 44% | POP | 3 | Generic term for a carbonated beverage, in certain parts of the U.S. |
| 44% | DRAG | 4 | Term in physics for the retarding force exerted by air or fluid surrounding a moving object |
| 40% | DEB | 3 | Haaland who facilitated the first apology by a U.S. President for forced assimilation of Indigenous children at government boarding schools (October, 2024) |
| 38% | AIM | 3 | ___ High ... Fly-Fight-Win (motto of the U.S. Air Force) |
| 38% | TWO | 3 | Maximum number of terms for a U.S. president |
| 37% | NUMBED | 6 | Prepared for a filling at the dentist's office, say |
| 37% | ESL | 3 | Course for a newcomer to the U.S.: Abbr. |
| 37% | AWARE | 5 | Mono no ___, Japanese term for a gentle sadness at life's impermanence |
| 37% | SEVERN | 6 | The U.S. Naval Academy is situated at is mouth |
| 37% | SEDAN | 5 | U.S. term for a British "saloon" |
| 36% | INC | 3 | Abbr. at the end of many a U.S. company |
| 35% | NUKES | 5 | Weapons at the heart of a disputed U.S.-Russia treaty |
| 35% | SKA | 3 | Music genre found at the end of a U.S. state |
| 35% | UGGS | 4 | Boots at the center of a recent U.S./Australia trademark battle |
| 35% | MINER | 5 | Term for a worker in the cryptocurrency business |
| 34% | JET | 3 | The Air Force's F-16 or F-22, for example |
| 34% | ISP | 3 | Term for a company that provides access to the Web: Abbr. |
| 34% | DESI | 4 | Term for a member of the South Asian diaspora |
| 34% | POLONECK | 8 | Another term for a turtleneck, popular in the UK |
| 34% | FOOTBALL | 8 | Term for soccer outside of the US |
| 34% | SUNNYANDERSON | 13 | "Cooking for Real" host who is a U.S. Air Force veteran (2 wds.) |
| 34% | ANCHORSAWEIGH | 13 | 1945 film starring Frank Sinatra, where two sailors go for a Hollywood vacation (also the fight song for US Naval Academy): 2 wds. |
| 34% | WIE | 3 | Golfer who qualified for a U.S.G.A. amateur championship at age 10 |
| 34% | DISCO | 5 | Panic! at the ___, American band who covered Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" for a movie |
| 34% | GREENBACK | 9 | Slang term for a paper currency note from the USA |
| 34% | SWANDIVE | 8 | US term for a swallow dive (different bird!) |
| 34% | STARBOARD | 9 | Term for the right side of a ship |