| 100% | CLEVELAND | 9 | With 48a, it's the name of the NBA team that is part-owned by Grammy-winning singer Usher (birthday today) |
| 64% | CAVALIERS | 9 | With 15a, it's the name of the NBA team whose mascots are Moondog and Sir C.C. and which is part-owned by Usher |
| 46% | EURYTHMICS | 10 | The name of the rock/pop duo that Annie Lennox - whose birthday it is today - was a part of |
| 38% | BRADDAUGHERTY | 13 | Former NBA All-Star who is part owner of the winning team at the 2023 Daytona 500 and the only Black NASCAR team owner (2 wds.) |
| 37% | GALWAY | 6 | "___ Girl," song by English singer Ed Sheeran which has the name of an Irish city in its title that is home to Eyre Square |
| 37% | CRIMESCENE | 10 | "CSI: ___," with 31-Across, the name of a TV show Liev Schreiber - whose birthday it is today - guest starred in as Michael Keppler: 2 wds. |
| 37% | LESMISERABLES | 13 | Musical with the song "I Dreamed a Dream" which was also the name of Scottish singer Susan Boyle's (birthday today) debut album: 2 wds. |
| 35% | IRIS | 4 | Part of the eye that shares its name with a flower |
| 35% | IRIS | 4 | Part of the eye that shares its name with a rainbow goddess |
| 35% | ROGERMURTAUGH | 13 | The name of the character Danny Glover - whose birthday it is today - portrays in the "Lethal Weapon" film series: 2 wds. |
| 35% | IRIS | 4 | Flower that shares its name with part of the eye |
| 35% | TEL | 3 | Part of the name of an Israeli city that is followed by Aviv |
| 35% | IRIS | 4 | Flower that shares its name with a part of the eye |
| 34% | IRIS | 4 | Part of the eye that shares its name with the Greek goddess of rainbow |
| 34% | AIMEEMANN | 9 | Grammy award winning female bassist who has been named one of the world's top ten greatest living songwriters by NPR: 2 wds. |
| 34% | GESTALT | 7 | Unified whole that cannot be described by the sum of its parts |
| 34% | MAIDEN | 6 | "___ Voyage," 1965 jazz album by Herbie Hancock that was presented with the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999 |
| 34% | CONE | 4 | Cold dessert that is made with syrup and shares part of its name with 14a |
| 33% | DAY | 3 | "One Sweet ___," song by Mariah Carey with Boyz II Men that was nominated for the Grammy for Record of the Year |
| 33% | WATCHTOWER | 10 | "All Along the ___," a hit song by Jimi Hendrix - whose birthday it is today - which is a cover of Bob Dylan's original |
| 33% | IRIS | 4 | Part of the eye that may also be a woman's name |
| 33% | BILL | 4 | NBA Hall of Famer ___ Russell, who was the leader of a Boston Celtics team that won 11 titles from 1957-1969 |
| 33% | HOLDMYHAND | 10 | Duet by Michael Jackson and Akon (birthday today), that was part of "Michael," M.J.'s first posthumous album: 3 wds. |
| 32% | IRIS | 4 | Girl's name that is also part of the eye |
| 32% | SAM | 3 | ___ Smith, "Stay With Me" singer who was 22 when they won the 2015 Grammy for Record of the Year |
| 32% | THUNDER | 7 | ___ Bay, Canadian city located on Lake Superior that shares part of its name with the sound that accompanies lightning |
| 32% | IRIS | 4 | A part of the eye that shares its name with an acclaimed film starring Kate Winslet & Dame Judi Dench |
| 32% | DAVINCICODE | 11 | "The ___," 2006 thriller film based on Dan Brown's novel of the same name whose music was composed by Hans Zimmer (birthday today): 3 wds. |
| 32% | ERICA | 5 | Woman's name that rhymes with a part of the world |
| 32% | GOAL | 4 | "Next ___ Wins," sports comedy film directed by Taika Waititi that is based on a 2014 documentary of the same name |