| CAPEOFGOODHOPE | African point, or Dracula's cloak of optimism? |
| GOODHOPE | Cape (of optimism?) (4,4) |
| DAYCARECENTER | Supervised spot, or Dracula's term for his sleeping quarters? |
| PUREBLOOD | Thoroughbred, or Dracula's obsession? |
| VERDE | Cape ___, westernmost African point |
| DOMINO | From the Latin for "lord, master", word originally for a priest's winter cape, later a masquerade cloak of black silk; or, one of 28 gaming tiles with between zero and 12 pips (6) |
| EUPHORIA | Ecstasy, overconfidence or over-optimism? (8) |
| NEVERSAYDIE | The maxim of immortal optimism? (5,3,3) |
| ABOLLA | Fastened with a brooch, a Roman soldier's cloak of war as opposed to the toga, the robe of peace (6) |
| BIRRAS | Hooded cloak of coarse wool worn in Britain and Gaul at the time of the Roman Empire (6) |
| GREGO | Short cloak of the Levant |
| DJELLABA | Hooded cloak of the Middle East and North Africa |
| MONET | Impressionist, figure shrouded by cloak of mist |
| PALL | Friend and beginner found in cloak of darkness (4) |
| CAPERED | Danced in cloak of crimson (7) |
| TOGA | Cloak of ancient Rome |
| AFTERDARK | Under the cloak of night |
| MAGI | Unimaginable cloak of three night visitors? (4) |
| INCAMERA | American performing under cloak of secrecy (2,6) |
| FEELGOODFACTOR | Sense of optimism for catching fish - decent bit of evidence |
