| ANDRA | _ Day, critically acclaimed for playing Billie Holiday (5) |
| STONE | Emma _ critically-acclaimed for her role in Poor Things (5) |
| MURPHY | Cillian _, acclaimed for playing Peaky Blinders' Tommy (6) |
| LOTUS | Critically acclaimed HBO comedy- drama series set at luxury holiday resorts, with Jennifer Coolidge (3,5,5) |
| TONYA | Margot Robbie was Oscar nominated for her performance in the critically acclaimed biopic I, ___ (5) |
| ABBEY | Critically acclaimed period drama series, Downton ___ (5) |
| ELSIE | Critically acclaimed star of comedy-drama Eighth Grade, ... Fisher (5) |
| RIDER | Critically acclaimed NZ drama starring Keisha Castle-Hughes, Whale ... (5) |
| LEAVE | Critically acclaimed 2018 drama based on the book My Abandonment, _ No Trace (5) |
| SMART | Critically acclaimed actress who plays an aging comedian in Hacks (5) |
| NORAH | Critically-acclaimed Visions recording artist, _ Jones (5) |
| ARIES | Zodiac sign for Billie Holiday or Merle Haggard |
| NICOL | Critically acclaimed Scottish actor Williamson who died in the Netherlands |
| DECCA | Record label for Billie Holiday's "Lover Man" |
| FRUIT | Billie Holiday's 1939 protest song about lynching, Strange ___ (5) |
| FAGAN | American jazz and swing singer (1915-1959) better known by her professional name Billie Holiday (8,5) |
| BLUES | Style of many Billie Holiday hits |
| AUDRA | Singer McDonald who played Billie Holiday on Broadway in 2014 |
| DIANA | The Supremes singer who played Billie Holiday in Lady Sings The Blues, ... Ross |
| BLESS | "God ___ the Child" (Billie Holiday classic) |
