| RORY | ___ Jones, the world's top-ranked under-25 angler (4) |
| GIGI | ___ Hadid is one of the world's top models. (4) |
| DIOR | Design guru who founded one of the world's top fashion houses, Christian ___ |
| EARL | James _ Jones, the voice of Darth Vader (4) |
| ALEX | _ Jones, The One Show presenter (4) |
| SEED | Exeter, say, attracting back from Bedford, top-ranked player (4) |
| ASHE | Top-ranked tennis player of 1975 |
| OREO | World's top-selling cookie |
| AONE | Top- ranked |
| BEST | Top-ranked |
| PHILMICKELSON | Left-handed US golfer, one of the world's top-ranking players (4, 9) |
| SORGHUM | One of the world's top five cereal crops, with the United States its largest producer (7) |
| WILDE | Hayden _, Kiwi who won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics and is one of the world's top triathletes (5) |
| MAGNUSCARLSEN | The world's top chess player since 2011, he quit a tournament in New York City on Dec.27 after being told his blue jeans violated the dress code; he and his jeans returned when officials relented |
| ICECREAM | We are among the world's top consumers of this product (3,5) |
| USA | Country that's the world's top crude oil producer: Abbr. |
| ELS | Golfer Ernie who spent 788 weeks in the World Top 10 |
| SUMATRA | One of the world's top-ten largest islands, home to some of Earth's rarest animal and plant species |
| FORBES | U.S. business magazine that compiles an annual list of the world's top billionaires (6) |
| HOU | ... Yifan, third woman chess player to be rated among the world's top 100. (3) |
