| CAREWORN | Cavalier poet or knight showing signs of stress |
| OSSIAN | Legendary Gaelic poet or knight |
| CRACKING | Top-class but showing signs of stress (8) |
| ITALICS | Silicate almost cracks, showing signs of stress (7) |
| ACCENTS | AC-12's coppers showing signs of stress (7) |
| GRAVEACCENT | Fellow imbibes a small amount of liquid after party, showing sign of stress (5,6) |
| ACCENT | I'd left crash showing sign of stress (6) |
| ITALIC | Showing sign of stress? (6) |
| SISTERS | One showing external signs of stress disturbed experienced carers (7) |
| MAGNUM | Quiet about a good knight showing bottle? |
| IMPURITY | Freedom from recrimination's right for knight showing corruption |
| NICELY | Knight showing reserve about the Spanish? Exactly |
| QUIRK | Question over Irish knight showing foible (5) |
| LOVELACE | Richard --, 1618-57, English Cavalier poet (8) |
| SUCKLING | Cavalier poet, courtier and gamester who invented cribbage (8) |
| CAREW | Thomas ____ was a Cavalier poet favoured by Charles I |
| BARON | Rank of nobility higher than a lord or knight, but lower than a viscount or count (5) |
| DAME | Legal designation for the wife or widow of a baronet or knight (4) |
| TABARDS | Frocks of medieval peasantry originally, later emblazoned tunics of heralds or knights; or, aprons (7) |
| BYRNIE | Related to "breast, chest", name of a historical breastplate, coat of mail, hauberk or knight's mail shirt (6) |
