| UNMUTILATED | "Tony Blair speaks with a passion as yet ____ by the cynicism of office" (The Scotsman, in 1997) |
| COMPTROLLERGENERAL | Director of the Government Accountability Office, the agency founded in 1921 to ensure the accountability of the US federal government |
| OVAL | The Office, the formal working space of the president of the US (4) |
| NASAL | A bit of passion as a lady shows such a tone (5) |
| MACE | Sounds like a nightclub for one having been honoured with staff from The Office - the British one? (4) |
| DIOGENES | Greek philosopher from Sinope, in modern-day Turkey, a proponent of the ideological school of Cynicism (8) |
| PORTREE | Island capital Post Office the place for Xmas baubles around the end of winter (7) |
| INCIDENTROOM | Episode from The Office - the one where the police are wondering whodunnit (8,4) |
| LOLITA | Which 1998 film version of Vladimir Nabokov's novel stars Jeremy Irons as a pmfessor with a passion for pubescent girls? (6) |
| LUSTRED | Shining with hot passion, as the sun at sunset? (7) |
| DEADHEAT | Departed with passion as an example of race equality (4-4) |
| FLAME | Break out in passion as an object of love (5) |
| POLAR | The post office the French have right near the Arctic (5) |
| FLAMES | Breaks out in passion as to one's old loves (6) |
| EVENSO | "And yet, _ _ _ _ _ _, there is a way to find happiness. That is to be curious about all of the interlocking events that add up to our lives. To notice connections. To be amused or perhaps frightened |
| POSTER | At the Post Office the rest appear to be stuck-up (6) |
| POLES | Going to the post office, the man posts (5) |
| EMBASSY | Diplomatic office (the USA's is in Jerusalem) (7) |
| ICONIC | Representative of all the centres of Official Unionist cynicism (6) |
| VICARAGE | Verger initially in charge, with a passion for the boss's house? (8) |
