| PLUM | Damson-like drupe whose name, when referring to something choice or desirable, is thought to derive from taking the tastiest morsels from a pudding containing said fruit |
| SQUIB | Firecracker described as "damp" when referring to something that fails to go off with the anticipated bang (5) |
| ELIGIBLE | Being desirable is fit to be chosen (8) |
| APRICOT | A semantically "early-ripening, precocious, bright" plumcot-like drupe related to the gean - an absolute "peach" for ice cream, a jam-maker's dream and a marvel for tajine, but picked when orangey yel |
| SNOOKER | Form of billiards whose invention is credited to Sir Neville Chamberlain and name is thought to derive from military slang for a new cadet (7) |
| BELLIS | From the Latin meaning "beautiful, pretty", the genus of the flower whose common name "daisy" is thought to derive from the Old English for "day's eye" (6) |
| BUTTERFLIES | Lepidopterans such as Chalk Hill Blues, Clouded Yellows and Painted Ladies, whose name is thought to derive from an old belief that such insects stole churned cream (11) |
| SCONES | Thought to derive from early Dutch for "fine bread", baked rounds or quadrants of plain or fruited dough, subject to a long-running debate as to whether said cakes are spread with jam first, or cream |
| LHOOQ | Duchamp work whose name, when spoken letter by letter, sounds like a French phrase that means "she i |
| ATAT | "Star Wars" combat vehicle whose name, when reversed, is a British goodbye |
| LLAMA | Animal whose name (when repeated) is the title of a Tubi cartoon series |
| FILBERT | Word for a cob or a hazelnut thought to derive from the name of the saint whose feast day coincided with the nutting season; or, a paintbrush used for oils (7) |
| SHANTY | A crudely built hut or ramshackle dwelling; or, thought to derive from the French for "to sing", the rhythmical song to which sailors hauled ropes (6) |
| FROG | Thought to derive from an ancient word for "hopper", the name of a "grenouille" living an amphibious double life, both on land and in fresh water, whose Latin designation, Rana, is said to be imitativ |
| UNIO | A genus or Latin name, thought to derive from "one" or "solitaire", in reference to a diamond set by itself, of a freshwater pearl mussel (4) |
| CLAMPS | Word, thought to derive from the name of molluscs that are difficult to prise apart, for grips or vices (6) |
| GOPHER | Rodent whose name, thought to derive from French for "waffle" or "honeycomb", evokes the critter's honeycomb of burrows (6) |
| TELEOLOGY | Theory of morality that derives duty or moral obligation from what is good or desirable as an end to be achieved |
| EWE | Animal whose name, when capitalized, is a major West African language |
| TREAT | Word originally meaning "negotiate" and "discuss a subject", later a source of gratification such as a pleasure excursion, something choice to eat or entertainment for a guest (5) |
