| 100% | ANNIEERNAUX | 11 | Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature who described her prose in the novel “Les Armoires Vides” as “brutally direct, working-class and sometimes obscene” (October, 2022) |
| 34% | HANKANG | 7 | Winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature, whom Hernan Diaz praised for her “unique ear for the rumors of history” (October, 2024) |
| 34% | TONIMORRISON | 12 | Author who received the Nobel Prize in Literature on the basis of her first six novels, all featured in this puzzle |
| 33% | IVOANDRIC | 9 | Author of 1945 novel The Bridge on the Drina; 1961 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 32% | COETZEE | 7 | J M —, 1983 Booker Prize winner for Life and Times of Michael K; 2003 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 32% | FOSSE | 5 | Jon who won the Nobel Prize in Literature “for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable” (October, 2023) |
| 31% | EDITHWHARTON | 12 | 13-Across and 25-Across writer who was the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize in Literature, for her 1920 novel "The Age of Innocence" (2 wds.) |
| 31% | GBSHAW | 6 | *1925 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 31% | DYLAN | 5 | 2016 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 31% | DARIOFO | 7 | 1997 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 31% | WALCOTT | 7 | Derek —, 1992 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 31% | QUASIMODO | 9 | Salvatore —, 1959 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 31% | ANDREGIDE | 9 | French author of 1909 novel Strait is the Gate; 1947 Nobel Prize in Literature winner |
| 30% | GIDE | 4 | Andre —, French author of 1909 novel Strait is the Gate; 1947 Nobel Prize in Literature winner |
| 29% | EMMA | 4 | Title heroine described in the first sentence of her novel as "handsome, clever and rich" |
| 29% | EMMA | 4 | Title heroine described in the first lines of her novel as "handsome, clever and rich" |
| 29% | COETZEE | 7 | J M —, 1983 Booker Prize winner for Life & Times of Michael K; 2003 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 28% | WILSON | 6 | Woodrow ___, 28th President of the U.S. and Nobel Peace Prize winner who was born in December |
| 28% | DYLAN | 5 | Winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 27% | SACHS | 5 | Nelly —, poet and dramatist who shared the 1966 Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 27% | PASTERNAK | 9 | Boris —, author of 1957 novel Doctor Zhivago; 1958 Nobel Prize in Literature winner |
| 27% | CAMUS | 5 | Albert —, winner of the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 27% | BOLL | 4 | Heinrich —, winner of the 1972 Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 27% | BUCK | 4 | Pearl —, winner of the 1938 Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 27% | MAURIAC | 7 | Francois —, winner of the 1952 Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 27% | STEINBECK | 9 | John —, winner of the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 27% | FAULKNER | 8 | William —, winner of the 1949 Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 27% | GRASS | 5 | Gunter —, winner of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 27% | GORDIMER | 8 | Nadine —, winner of the 1991 Nobel Prize in Literature |
| 27% | FRANCE | 6 | Anatole —, winner of the 1921 Nobel Prize in Literature |