| 100% | SOLOMON | 7 | With 18-Across, free New York black man abducted into slavery whose true story is told in "12 Years a Slave" |
| 27% | LUPITANYONGO | 12 | "12 Years a Slave" actress playing Nakia in 18-Across: 2 wds. |
| 25% | LUPITA | 6 | With 31-Across, "12 Years a Slave" actress who played intelligence agent Nakia in "Black Panther" |
| 25% | ROSA | 4 | Parks whose story is told in Faith Ringgold’s book “If a Bus Could Talk” |
| 25% | MARCO | 5 | With 74 Across, explorer whose name is shouted in a pool |
| 24% | LUPITANYONGO | 12 | "12 Years a Slave," 18-Across, and 32-Across star who was the first Kenyan-Mexican actress to win an Oscar (2 wds.) |
| 24% | AARON | 5 | With 30-Across, New York Yankees slugger who was Time's Athlete of the Year in 2022 |
| 24% | SARAHPAULSON | 12 | "12 Years a Slave" actress who starred in "American Horror Story: Freak Show": 2 wds. |
| 24% | LUPITANYONGO | 12 | "12 Years a Slave" actress who was People's Most Beautiful Person in 2014: 2 wds. |
| 23% | ROGETS | 6 | Its origin story is told in The Man Who Made Lists |
| 22% | LUPITANYONGO | 12 | "12 Years a Slave" actress who plays Nakia in 44-Across (2 wds.) |
| 22% | METS | 4 | New York team with a skyline in its logo |
| 22% | NYONGO | 6 | Lupita ___, "12 Years A Slave" actress who portrays Nakia in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" |
| 22% | METS | 4 | New York team whose mascot's head is a baseball |
| 22% | METS | 4 | New York MLB team with a skyline in its logo |
| 22% | METS | 4 | New York team whose last World Series appearance was in 2000 |
| 21% | ELABORATEDETAIL | 15 | A story might be told in it |
| 21% | MARJANE | 7 | With 38-Across, Iranian graphic novelist whose memoir "Persepolis" was adapted into a 2007 animated film |
| 21% | JACOBRIIS | 9 | New York social reformer whose name is on a Manhattan housing project |
| 21% | MRMET | 5 | New York MLB mascot whose head is a giant baseball (2 wds.) |
| 21% | BRADPITT | 8 | Actor in "12 Years a Slave" and "12 Monkeys" |
| 21% | IKNOWWHATYOU | 12 | With 30-Across, Lois Duncan horror novel that was turned into a film in 1997: 4 wds. |
| 21% | IDES | 4 | There are 12 in a year |
| 21% | MONTHS | 6 | There are 12 in a year |
| 21% | LUPITANYONGO | 12 | "12 Years a Slave" Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner who plays Nakia in Marvel's "Black Panther" (2 wds.) |
| 21% | PARABLE | 7 | Story with a lesson in it, Jesus told many |
| 21% | PEAS | 4 | Black-eyed ___ (food in a New Year's tradition) |
| 21% | MOS | 3 | There are 12 in a year (Abbr.) |
| 21% | GHOSTSTORY | 10 | Tale that may be told with a fire in one's eyes |
| 21% | MELOTT | 6 | He led the New York Giants in home runs for 18 consecutive years |