| 100% | PAINE | 5 | Thomas who was "a corsetmaker by trade, a journalist by profession and a propagandist by inclination" |
| 38% | ULEE | 4 | Peter Fonda's title character who is a beekeeper by profession |
| 35% | STRO | 4 | "The Astronomical Kid" who is a rapper and is known by his stage name ___ |
| 35% | HANNIBAL | 8 | Horror thriller TV series named after the protagonist who is a forensic psychiatrist and cannibal played by Mads Mikkelsen |
| 35% | POE | 3 | Who wrote "It was many and many a year ago, / In a kingdom by the sea ..." |
| 33% | RAB | 3 | Isle now in Croatia where Saint Marinus (after whom San Marino is named), a stonemason by trade, hailed from |
| 33% | IRIS | 4 | Novelist Murdoch who was played by Kate Winslet and Judi Dench in a 2001 biopic |
| 33% | JOHN | 4 | ___ Elway, quarterback who was selected first overall draft pick by the Colts and is a 2-time Super Bowl champ |
| 33% | JIM | 3 | ___ Plunkett, quarterback who was selected first overall draft pick by the Patriots and is a 2-time Super Bowl champ |
| 33% | HOOD | 4 | Robin ___, "Once Upon a Time" character who was played by both Tom Ellis and Sean Maguire |
| 33% | NEWMAN | 6 | Jerry's archnemesis and neighbor played by Wayne Knight who is a recurring character on "Seinfeld" |
| 33% | TERRY | 5 | ___ Bradshaw, football quarterback who was selected first overall draft pick by the Steelers and is a 4-time Super Bowl champ |
| 33% | KYD | 3 | Dramatist Thomas who was a contemporary of Shakespeare |
| 33% | HANSEL | 6 | ___ and Gretel, characters from a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm who are seen in the "Shrek" franchise |
| 32% | ANDERSONCOOPER | 14 | CNN journalist born June 3, 1967, who was a guest on 16-Across at age three and 36-Across at age nine (2 wds.) |
| 32% | BRUCE | 5 | ___ Smith, defensive end who was selected first overall draft pick by the Bills and is a record holder of 200 career sacks |
| 32% | DWIGHTSCHRUTE | 13 | A character from "The Office" played by Rainn Wilson, who is the nemesis and eventual friend of 42a: 2 wds |
| 32% | GARY | 4 | Character on "Cheers" who owned a rival bar and was played interchangeably by Joel Polis and Robert Desiderio |
| 32% | TOURETTE | 8 | Georges Gilles de la —, French physician after whom a neurological condition characterized by physical and verbal tics is named |
| 32% | CHARLOTTESWEB | 13 | Children's classic by 50-Across with the line, "It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer" (2 wds.) |
| 31% | JESMYNWARD | 10 | Author of “Let Us Descend,” about Annis, a enslaved girl who is separated from her mother and sold by her white father (October, 2023) |
| 31% | BILLOREILLY | 11 | American journalist whose contract was recently terminated by Fox News, who hosted "The ___ Factor" and "The Radio Factor": 2 wds. |
| 31% | TWO | 3 | "___ on a Tower," 1882 novel by Thomas Hardy which is a love story of Lady Constastine and Swithin St. Cleeve |
| 31% | MARIARESSA | 10 | Filipino American journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner who was honored with a 2024 Carnegie Great Immigrants award: 2 wds. |
| 31% | WALESA | 6 | President who was an electrician by profession |
| 31% | JESSEPINKMAN | 12 | Character played by Aaron Paul in "Breaking Bad", who was a crystal meth dealer and worked with the character played by 30-Across: 2 wds. |
| 31% | BERRA | 5 | Hall of Famer who was a Yankee manager and a Mets coach |
| 31% | VERUCASALT | 10 | Child in Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" who is thrown down a garbage chute by squirrels: 2 wds. |
| 31% | LOISLANE | 8 | Superman's love interest who was a journalist |
| 31% | BECKET | 6 | St. Thomas who was murdered in a cathedral |