| 100% | OREE | 4 | Willie who broke the NHL's color barrier |
| 48% | ROBINSON | 8 | Jackie who broke baseball's color barrier |
| 48% | YEAGER | 6 | Chuck who broke the sound barrier |
| 44% | OREE | 4 | Willie who was the first black player in the NHL |
| 39% | COSELL | 6 | TV announcer who broke the news of John Lennon's murder |
| 38% | OREE | 4 | Willie who was the N.H.L.’s first Black player |
| 38% | CHARLIESIFFORD | 14 | Color-barrier-breaking golfer in the World Golf Hall of Fame who was born in 1922 (2 wds.) |
| 38% | CRIMINAL | 8 | Person who breaks the law |
| 38% | FELON | 5 | Person who breaks the law |
| 37% | RAT | 3 | One who breaks the 16-Across |
| 37% | OFFENDER | 8 | Criminal, someone who breaks the law |
| 37% | SINNERS | 7 | Those who break the ten commandments |
| 36% | PRISON | 6 | Building holding those who break the law |
| 36% | YEGG | 4 | Robber who breaks the safes to steal |
| 36% | VIOLATOR | 8 | One who breaks the law, e.g. |
| 36% | TRICKSTER | 9 | Character, like Loki, who breaks the rules |
| 36% | SST | 3 | It's not breaking the sound barrier anymore |
| 36% | SONICBOOM | 9 | Sound of an aircraft breaking the sound barrier |
| 36% | JACKIEROBINSON | 14 | Baseball great and civil rights leader who broke Major League Baseball's color barrier on this day 76 years ago |
| 35% | POLARBEARS | 10 | Club members who break the ice with splashy entrances? |
| 35% | OREE | 4 | Willie who played for the Boston Bruins |
| 35% | KATIELEDECKY | 12 | Swimmer who broke the world records in the 400- and 800-meter women's freestyle in Rio: 2 wds. |
| 35% | YEAGER | 6 | Chuck, first pilot to break the sound barrier |
| 34% | ONO | 3 | Woman who's often been accused of breaking up the Beatles |
| 34% | SONICBOOM | 9 | Noise heard when breaking the sound barrier |
| 34% | BOOM | 4 | Sound made when breaking the sound barrier |
| 34% | WAYNEGRETZKY | 12 | Oilers center who became the NHL's first unanimous MVP in 1982: 2 wds. |
| 33% | MAYS | 4 | Willie who made "The Catch" in the 1954 World Series |
| 33% | CONCORDE | 8 | Supersonic plane, broke the sound barrier in 1969 |
| 33% | MARIS | 5 | Roger ___ (baseball player who broke the single-season home run record in 1961) |