| NEARMISS | Close shave as mines exploded around the destroyer's stern (4,4) |
| ENTHUSIASM | Fire, as mine exploded, contained like so (10) |
| IMMENSE | Huge mines exploded around me (7) |
| AMNESIA | Blackout as mines failed to connect Asian capitals (7) |
| KOBOLD | In German mythology, a mischievous household sprite or one who haunts underground places such as mines (6) |
| SAMISEN | As mine's broken, I'll play this Japanese instrument (7) |
| GENDARME | Grenade exploded around maiden and armed policeman in France |
| SEMINARY | Mines exploded in front of a railway training institution (8) |
| EXAMINEE | This person's tested component of Alexa - mine exploded! (8) |
| SUCCOURS | Helps us set up cricket club, yours as well as mine |
| ICANTSAY | "Your guess is as good as mine" |
| AILMENTS | Such complaints as mine last out (8) |
| APOLLYON | The destroyer, a name given to the Devil in the Book of Revelation |
| PITFALLS | Problems as mine collapses (8) |
| BAUTISTA | Dave _, actor reprising his role as Drax The Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 (8) |
| PARANOIA | Condition called "the destroyer" in the Kinks song "Destroyer" |
| EPILATE | Have a close shave as English exercise cut short (7) |
| NEARTHING | Close shave as new ground starts to implode next-door grandstand (4,5) |
| BARBERSHOP | Where one has a close shave as robber starts to plunder house desperately (10) |
| NARROW | Close shaves, as pancreas worse after treatment (6,7) (see 17A) |
