| BALSOM | Alison ___, trumpet soloist who retired at the end of the 2025 Proms (6) |
| BRAGGART | Trumpet soloist? |
| SEBASTIANVETTEL | Four-time Formula One world champion driver who retired at the end of the 2022 season (9,6) |
| BROAD | Stuart _, England cricketer who retired at the end of the 2023 Ashes (5) |
| STEFFAN | Somerset, Northants and Derbyshire cricketer who retired at the end of 2011 (7,5) |
| JONES | Somerset, Northants and Derbyshire cricketer who retired at the end of 2011 (7,5) |
| OJO | London Irish and England wing who retired at the end of 2018-19 (3) |
| TOPSY | London Irish and England wing who retired at the end of 2018-19 (5) |
| SERENA | She retired at the US Open last month |
| UTTLEY | Alison ___, author of the Little Grey Rabbit series of children's books (6) |
| BABUTA | Which Indian won gold at the mixed event and silver in the men's individual event in the 10m air rifle of the 2025 ISSF World Cup held in Munich in June? (5,6) |
| GRACEKELLY | 1950s film star who retired at the age of 26 (5,5) |
| DONNIE | ___ Trumpet (stage name that Nico Segal stopped using after 2016) |
| KRAUSS | Alison ___, U.S. singer and fiddler, born in 1971 (6) |
| GOLDEN | 25-1 winner of the 2025 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham ridden by Lorcan Williams (6) |
| WILSON | Kyren ___, champion knocked out in the first round of the 2025 World Snooker Championship (6) |
| AMANDA | Title character of the 2025 Motherland spin-off played by Lucy Punch (6) |
| ABBOTT | Christopher _, star of the 2025 horror film Wolf Man (6) |
| GRAHAM | Stephen _, star of the 2025 historical drama series A Thousand Blows (6) |
| SHOHEI | Dodger who reached base nine times in Game of the 2025 World Series |
