| ROTTENLY | Badly regarded at first, but collecting tithes regularly |
| CLIFFORD | Man who briefly may be highly regarded at the seaside |
| OBESE | Honours even at first but badly overweight (5) |
| DISMES | This person in East Anglian town would get tithes at one time |
| CHIT | Coptic church at last starts to increase tithes with a voucher (4) |
| COYOTE | Wild dog is timid at first but returns to make appearance at last |
| PERSEVERE | Its hard to get through at first, but dont give up (9) |
| ATTIRED | Weary at first, but ready to appear in public |
| EXCEEDS | Member of Ordinariate maybe expecting deep suspicion at first, but goes over |
| BULGARIA | Country song, swell at first, but lacking finish |
| THRIVER | Test perhaps extremely tough at first, but one does well |
| PASTCARING | Racing foolishly, tense at first but no longer concerned (4,6) |
| GOALS | Move along slowly, at first, but aims to score (5) |
| TARRIED | Tried to get around all right at first but dawdled (7) |
| ABSOLUTE | Rank above at first but lose out (8) |
| WARNING | Rising at first, but getting smaller overall (7) |
| OIL | It may appear crude at first, but it reduces friction (3) |
| GLEEFUL | Fifty with union leader feel glum, at first, but turn joyful (7) |
| SPECIOUS | Convincing at first, but flawed (8) |
| PHILEAS | Foggy at first, but help is a possibility (7) |
