| SPECTOR | Phil ___, songwriter and record producer who died in prison in 2021 after being convicted of murder (7) |
| DOZIER | Lamont ___, songwriter and record producer who formed a prolific partnership with Brian Holland and Edward Holland, Jr. that helped define the Motown sound |
| MORRIS | All-rounder who joined the Royals in 2021, after being the most expensive player ever at the IPL auction |
| NAVALNY | Russian opposition leader who died in prison, 16 February 2024 (6,7) |
| ALEXEI | Russian opposition leader who died in prison, 16 February 2024 (6,7) |
| SCOTTPARKER | Former England midfielder appointed head coach of AFC Bournemouth in 2021 after leaving Fulham |
| DNA | Englishman Colin Pitchfork was the first man to be convicted of murder, in 1988, using this type of evidence (3) |
| HURRICANECARTER | Middleweight boxer wrongfully convicted of murder in '67, overturned in '85 |
| EMMA | Second-most-popular baby girls' name in 2021, after Olivia |
| GRACEMARKS | Maid convicted of murder in Margaret Atwood's 'Alias' classic: 2 wds. |
| JOHNPEEL | Influential DJ, radio presenter and record producer who died in 2004 (4,4) |
| ADRIANBAKER | English singer, songwriter and record producer who had a 1975 top ten hit with Sherry |
| JONES | Iconic record producer who died in November 2024 (5) |
| QUINCY | Iconic record producer who died in November 2024 (6) |
| TAIOCRUZ | English singer-songwriter, rapper, and record producer who topped the charts with Break Your Heart in 2009 and Dynamite in 2010 (4,4) |
| PRINCE | American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who released his debut album, For You, in 1978 |
| SNOOP | Rapper & record producer who stars in the film adaptation of Starsky & Hutch, ___ Dogg |
| BERNIEMADOFF | Who was sentenced to 150 years in prison in 2009 after being found guilty of the biggest ever fraud in US financial history? (6,6) |
| QUINCYJONES | U.S. songwriter and record producer noted for producing the Thriller album (6,5) |
| ALESSO | Swedish DJ and record producer who won Best Remix at the 2018 International Dance Music Awards for Something Just Like This |
