| TRIARCHY | Attempt to comprehend one principal system of government involving few people |
| DEMOCRATIC | Form of government involving comedic art (10) |
| THEARCHY | They embrace principal system of divine rule (8) |
| THREAD | Only half of them comprehend one story element |
| CONCISE | Involving few words (7) |
| OLIGARCHY | Political system of government by a few people (9) |
| LOTTERY | Group attempt to comprehend English game of chance (7) |
| FEDERAL | (Of a union or government) involving states voluntarily joined together for common purposes (7) |
| MARTIALLAW | Military government, involving the suspension of normal legislation |
| MAINSPRING | Bloke bound to hide one principal motive |
| TRAGEDY | Attempt to comprehend old work by Shakespeare? (7) |
| TRANSMOGRIFY | Attempt to comprehend article anticipating pollution and almost rampant change |
| MAINDRAG | Almost every town has one (principal street) (GRAND AIM anagram) (4,4) |
| OSIRIS | One's principal teacher is God (6) |
| SMALLCAPITALS | Kind of type found in seats of government with few people (5,8) |
| BILLIARDS | Game attempts to comprehend ultimately woeful storyteller |
| MAIN | Staff welcomes one principal (4) |
| ONES | Cover one's principal with beach material and ignore any problems! (4,3'1,4,2,3,4) |
| SAND | Cover one's principal with beach material and ignore any problems! (4,3'1,4,2,3,4) |
| INTHE | Cover one's principal with beach material and ignore any problems! (4,3'1,4,2,3,4) |
