| ROUGHPASSAGE | Difficult or testing time (5,7) |
| INACCESSIBLE | Difficult or impossible to reach (12) |
| STICKYWICKET | Difficult or awkward situation (6,6) |
| IMPONDERABLE | Difficult or impossible to assess (12) |
| ASCLEARASMUD | Sarcastic oxymoron meaning difficult or impossible to understand (2,5,2,3) |
| CHALLENGE | A call or summons to engage in an argument, contest or fight; or, any demanding or testing task (9) |
| CRUCIBLE | "Night lamp" or pot for melting metal or testing ore, borrowed by a trial by fire or Salem ordeal metaphor (8) |
| PROOF | Finding or testing the truth of something (5) |
| BETA | Type of blocker or testing |
| UNTRIED | Lacking in experience or testing (7) |
| ORDEAL | Severe or testing experience (6) |
| MOCKUP | Model used for study or testing |
| MOMENTOFTRUTH | Make or break, testing time (6,2,5) |
| TSQUARE | An instrument for drawing or testing right angles (1-6) |
| BALEOUT | Drink in testing time to escape from a difficult situation (4,3) |
| PROBATION | Testing time for one at crease, one performing |
| TRIALRUN | Testing time to manage introducing Arab currency (5,3) |
| APRIL | Testing time for kids - Terminator bombed airport terminal (5) |
| RETRIAL | Another testing time with a new trailer (7) |
| PERIOD | Testing time in court? (5,6) |
