| 100% | REDPONY | 7 | The —, 1937 novella by John Steinbeck whose protagonist is Jody Tiflin |
| 60% | RED | 3 | & 19D The —, 1937 volume of four stories by John Steinbeck whose central character is Jody Tiflin |
| 59% | THEREDPONY | 10 | 1937 volume of four stories by John Steinbeck whose central character is Jody Tiflin |
| 45% | INTRODUCING | 11 | & 16D 1938 novel by John Creasey whose protagonist is the Honourable Richard Rollison |
| 38% | TOLLGATE | 8 | The —, 1954 novel by Georgette Heyer novel whose protagonist is Captain John Staple |
| 37% | TOLLGATE | 8 | The —, 1954 novel by Georgette Heyer novel whose protagonist is Captain John Staple (4-4) |
| 33% | WRATH | 5 | "The Grapes of ___," novel by John Steinbeck, set in the Great Depression, that was a major reason for him winning the Nobel Prize |
| 32% | TORTILLAFLAT | 12 | 1935 novel by John Steinbeck featuring the character Big Joe Portagee |
| 31% | WHERESWALDO | 11 | Popular children's book series ... whose protagonist is "hiding" in the circled letters |
| 31% | MALTESE | 7 | “The ___ Falcon” (novel whose protagonist is the detective Sam Spade) |
| 30% | RED | 3 | "The ___ Pony," episodic novel by American author John Steinbeck about a boy named Jody Tiflin |
| 30% | USA | 3 | Novel trilogy by John Dos Passos whose second volume is 1919 |
| 30% | EASTOFEDEN | 10 | John Steinbeck novel inspired by the biblical story of Cain and Abel: 3 wds |
| 30% | MEETTHEBARON | 12 | 1937 novel by John Creasey also published as The Man in the Blue Mask |
| 29% | DIARY | 5 | 2003 novel by Chuck Palahniuk whose protagonist is Misty Wilmot |
| 29% | ACHRISTMASCAROL | 15 | Novella whose final words are found in the circled squares |
| 29% | USA | 3 | Novel trilogy by John Dos Passos whose second volume is 1932's 1919 |
| 29% | THECONSTANT | 11 | & 14D 2001 novel by John le Carre whose central character is Justin Quayle |
| 29% | GOINGPOSTAL | 11 | 2004 novel by Terry Pratchett whose protagonist is Moist von Lipwig |
| 29% | ESPOSITO | 8 | Player whose #7 jersey was retired by the Bruins |
| 29% | CSI | 3 | Franchise whose opening themes are songs by The Who |
| 29% | MELOTT | 6 | Slugger whose number (4) was retired by the Giants |
| 29% | DARRYL | 6 | Strawberry whose No. 18 was retired by the Mets |
| 29% | MOLE | 4 | One whose distance may be measured by the yard? |
| 29% | STENNIS | 7 | Former U.S. senator John C. ___, whose name can be formed by combining 44 Down and 22 Across and reversing the whole thing |
| 28% | IOWA | 4 | State whose eastern border is formed by the Mississippi River |
| 28% | YOGI | 4 | Catcher Berra whose number 8 was retired by the Yankees |