| 100% | PAT | 3 | Tom Brady, before he became a Buc |
| 56% | OILER | 5 | Wayne Gretzky, before he became a King |
| 55% | PUPPET | 6 | Pinocchio was this before he became a real boy |
| 55% | OILER | 5 | Wayne Gretzky was one before he became a King |
| 49% | PROMISES | 8 | "___ to Keep: On Life and Politics," book written by Joe Biden before he became a US president |
| 42% | SEN | 3 | Obama, before he became pres. |
| 42% | SEN | 3 | Obama, before he became president (abbr.) |
| 42% | LATENTPOLE | 10 | Lech Walesa, before he became active? |
| 40% | WRESTLER | 8 | The Rock was this before he became an actor |
| 40% | FIREMAN | 7 | Steve Buscemi’s job, before he became an actor |
| 37% | TDS | 3 | Tom Brady threw for a record 649 of them: Abbr. |
| 37% | IKE | 3 | Nickname of Operation Torch's commander long before he became involved in politics |
| 37% | JANITOR | 7 | Job that "Sonic the Hedgehog" actor Jim Carrey held before he became famous |
| 37% | ELMO | 4 | He became the first puppet to testify before Congress in 2002 |
| 36% | CAESAR | 6 | He ruled a century before 15-Across |
| 36% | BOY | 3 | He'll become a man |
| 36% | STALLONE | 8 | He was Rocky before he became Rambo, Sylvester __ |
| 36% | FIREFIGHTER | 11 | Job that "The King of Staten Island" actor Steve Buscemi held before he became famous |
| 35% | MDDEGREE | 8 | Acquisition before becoming a resident |
| 34% | BIG | 3 | Tom Hanks movie about a boy suddenly becoming an adult |
| 33% | THEDAVINCICODE | 14 | "Angels & Demons" sequel that became a best seller and a Tom Hanks movie: 4 wds. |
| 32% | JOHNMCENROE | 11 | He was a champion tennis player before he hosted "The Chair": 2 wds. |
| 32% | SPITZ | 5 | Before Phelps, he held the record for most golds in a single Olympics |
| 32% | AWLS | 4 | A baby cr___ before he walks |
| 32% | ORIOLE | 6 | Manny Machado, before becoming a Padre |
| 31% | CYRUSGOLD | 9 | Solomon Grundy's name before he was a zombie |
| 31% | BEATIFIES | 9 | The Pope does this before he canonizes a saint |
| 30% | PASS | 4 | Tom Brady throw |
| 30% | HOWMANY | 7 | "___ roads must a man walk down before you call him a man...": 2 wds. |
| 30% | JEKYLL | 6 | He became Hyde |