| 100% | RUGBY | 5 | With 2-Down, official name for the All Blacks' sport |
| 47% | PINOTNOIR | 9 | Red wine whose name ends with the French word for "black": 2 wds. |
| 44% | MARYKAY | 7 | Cosmetics company named for a woman with the last name Ash: 2 wds. |
| 44% | MATARIKI | 8 | Official name for the Maori new year |
| 42% | MICHAELPHELPS | 13 | American swimmer who holds the all-time record for Olympic gold medals with 23 wins: 2 wds. |
| 42% | ATSIGN | 6 | Name for the symbol "@": 2 wds. |
| 41% | LILJON | 6 | Atlanta rapper with the hit "Turn Down for What" (with DJ Snake): 2 wds. |
| 41% | VWBUG | 5 | Classic car whose official name is the Beetle, for short: 2 wds. |
| 40% | PLAGUE | 6 | Another name for the Black Death: Bubonic __ |
| 40% | REEDORGAN | 9 | Another name for the harmonium: 2 wds. |
| 40% | ROLL | 4 | With 2-Down, the name of one of Led Zeppelin's greatest hits, "___ & ___" |
| 40% | PINGPONG | 8 | Another name for the sport of table tennis |
| 39% | CYYOUNG | 7 | Award named for the winningest pitcher of all time |
| 39% | THEJAKE | 7 | Common name for the Progressive Field in Cleveland: 2 wds. |
| 39% | DORCOPSIS | 9 | Another name for the rare black forest wallaby |
| 39% | BROOKE | 6 | Zinzan ___, former New Zealand rugby player who played for the All Blacks and Auckland Blues |
| 38% | IOANE | 5 | Rieko and Akira —, brothers who play for the All Blacks and the Blues in Super Rugby |
| 38% | BBALL | 5 | A casual name for the sport played by teams in 16a: Hyph. |
| 38% | FERNDALE | 8 | Detroit suburb named for the plants the area was once overgrown with |
| 37% | WHISTLERSMOTHER | 15 | Informal name for the classic painting "Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1" |
| 37% | SHOEGAZE | 8 | Genre named for the tendency of its performers to look down while playing |
| 37% | TOMGLAVINE | 10 | A pitcher who made his name with the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets is a 10-time All-Star: 2 wds |
| 37% | SEVENSEAS | 9 | Collective name for all of the world's oceans |
| 37% | SPADES | 6 | Card game named for one of the black suits |
| 37% | SRS | 3 | Official name for a 7-Down: Abbr. |
| 37% | REF | 3 | Sports official with a whistle, for short |
| 36% | SKI | 3 | With 51 Down, high time for snow sports |
| 36% | EMANUEL | 7 | Name from the Hebrew for "God with us" |
| 36% | LASTPLACE | 9 | The cellar, for a sports team: 2 wds. |
| 36% | CERIA | 5 | Short name for the compound with the formula CeO2, used by glassmaking hobbyists for polishing |