| MEALIE | Breakfast perhaps that is merely an ear of maize (6) |
| LOWROAD | Course of action that is merely expedient |
| PERSISTENT | "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very ___ one": Albert Einstein (10) |
| RELIC | Railway Executive Committee incorporated Light Infantry initially, but then became merely an item of historical interest (5) |
| HANKIE | Handful of hair perhaps that is something for wiping nose |
| DODDIE | Ken, perhaps, that is barrier for 25Ac star ( 6,4) |
| MINNIE | Driver perhaps that is supporting motorway drinking place (6) |
| KERNEL | Term for one of the individual pieces found on an ear of corn. (6) |
| GOPHER | But the one you choose to hear is merely a menial runner! (6) |
| TATTLE | Story about abstainer is merely gossip (6) |
| DEDUCE | Work out dreadful crew is merely odd (6) |
| CORNCOB | The core of an ear of maize (7) |
| COB | Core of an ear of maize (3) |
| THECOB | Ears of maize cooked whole (4,2,3,3) |
| CORNON | Ears of maize cooked whole (4,2,3,3) |
| UNHUSK | Shuck, as an ear of corn |
| ROPE | Cord that can hold the weight of a climbing party or funambulist, or secure an elephant or ship, yet is merely a twist of plant fibres (4) |
| CORNONTHECOB | Ear of maize that's a barbecue favourite (4,2,3,3) |
| MOLLUSC | An oyster or a snail perhaps that is hardly protected |
| SCAVENGER | Steed, perhaps, that is first of all a carrion-eater (9) |
