| 1972 Altman film | 16 |
| 1972 and '74 Oscar-winning screenwriter | 43 |
| 1972 and 1974 Oscar-nominated role for Al Pacino | 48 |
| 1972 B B King hit | 17 |
| 1972 Bee Gees hit | 17 |
| 1972 Ben Vereen musical | 23 |
| 1972 Best Actor nominee for "The Ruling Class" | 56 |
| 1972 Bill Withers hit | 21 |
| 1972 Bill Withers hit whose title precedes "when you're not strong" | 81 |
| 1972 Bill Withers single | 24 |
| 1972 Billy Paul #1 hit | 22 |
| 1972 Billy Paul hit | 19 |
| 1972 Billy Wilder film | 22 |
| 1972 biography subtitled "The People's Lawyer" | 60 |
| 1972 blaxploitation film | 24 |
| 1972 Bread hit | 14 |
| 1972 Broadway debut | 19 |
| 1972 Broadway musical | 21 |
| 1972 Bronson-Mifune western | 27 |
| 1972 Bruce Lee flick "___ of Fury" | 44 |
| 1972 Carly Simon hit | 20 |
| 1972 Carly Simon single | 23 |
| 1972 Cat Stevens hit | 20 |
| 1972 Chairman Mao visitor | 25 |
| 1972 Charles Bronson film | 25 |
| 1972 Charles Grodin film, with "The" | 46 |
| 1972 chart-topper by America, with "A" | 48 |
| 1972 Chicago hit | 16 |
| 1972 comedy directed by Billy Wilder | 36 |
| 1972 David Bowie hit | 20 |
| 1972 David Bowie single, with "The" | 45 |
| 1972 DDT banner | 15 |
| 1972 Derby winner __ Ridge | 26 |
| 1972 Derby winner ___ Ridge | 27 |
| 1972 Derek and the Dominos hit | 30 |
| 1972 Eastwood title role | 24 |
| 1972 Eastwood western | 21 |
| 1972 Edgar Allan Poe Award nominee for Best Motion Picture | 58 |
| 1972 Elton John hit | 19 |
| 1972 Emmy-winning concert film | 30 |
| 1972 film for the birds? | 24 |
| 1972 film with poker-playing robots | 35 |
| 1972 Fischer foe | 16 |
| 1972 Fischer-Spassky match site | 31 |
| 1972 Glen Campbell hit | 22 |
| 1972 Harry Nilsson hit | 22 |
| 1972 hit by The Who | 19 |
| 1972 hit for Bill Withers | 25 |
| 1972 hit for Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen | 54 |
| 1972 hit for Derek and the Dominos | 34 |
| 1972 hit for the O'Jays | 27 |
| 1972 hit for the Spinners | 25 |
| 1972 hit from the soul album "Still Bill" | 51 |
| 1972 hit that begins "What'll you do when you get lonely ...?" | 76 |
| 1972 hit with the line "The day the music died" | 57 |
| 1972 host to Nixon | 18 |
| 1972 hurricane | 14 |
| 1972 Jack Lemmon comedy | 23 |
| 1972 Jack Lemmon comedy set in Italy | 36 |
| 1972 Jack Lemmon film | 21 |
| 1972 Jim Croce song | 19 |
| 1972 John Denver album with an eagle on its cover | 49 |
| 1972 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner ___ Ridge | 55 |
| 1972 Kentucky Derby winner | 26 |
| 1972 Kentucky Derby winner Riva ____ | 36 |
| 1972 Kentucky Derby winner __ Ridge | 35 |
| 1972 Kentucky Derby winner ___ Ridge | 36 |
| 1972 law that benefited women's athletics | 45 |
| 1972 Lemmon/Wilder comedy | 25 |
| 1972 Lemmon/Wilder film | 23 |
| 1972 Maggie Smith comedy/adventure | 34 |
| 1972 Match of the Century name | 30 |
| 1972 Match of the Century participant | 37 |
| 1972 Michael Jackson hit | 24 |
| 1972 Michael Jackson single | 27 |
| 1972 Minnelli-Grey movie | 24 |
| 1972 missile pact | 17 |
| 1972 movie about an African vampire | 35 |
| 1972 musical or its 2013 revival | 32 |
| 1972 musical with the song "Summer Nights" | 52 |
| 1972 Neil Diamond tune | 22 |
| 1972 Neil Young hit | 19 |
| 1972 Nixon host | 15 |
| 1972 Olympian Korbut | 20 |
| 1972 Olympic gold medalist | 26 |
| 1972 Olympic phenom | 19 |
| 1972 Olympic standout Mark | 26 |
| 1972 Olympic swimming sensation | 31 |
| 1972 Olympics city | 18 |
| 1972 Olympics sensation Mark | 28 |
| 1972 Olympics site | 18 |
| 1972 Olympics star | 18 |
| 1972 Olympics star Mark | 23 |
| 1972 Oscar refuser | 18 |
| 1972 Oscar-winning actor | 24 |
| 1972 pact signed by Nixon and Brezhnev | 38 |
| 1972 pop hit with a never-ending chorus | 39 |
| 1972 Pulitzer winner for Commentary | 35 |
| 1972 Robert Altman film | 23 |
| 1972 rock hit recorded with the London Festival Orchestra | 57 |