| RESPONSIBILITY | Duty inspires boy possibly to absorb literature (14) |
| SRILANKA | Ask Iran possibly to absorb large island state |
| ALBINO | Fair-haired boy, possibly |
| JOHNSON | Jack, the boy possibly with Samuel |
| FAG | Junior boy possibly smoking (3) |
| BASIL | A growing boy, possibly in the kitchen (5) |
| RETORT | Del Boy, possibly half-heartedly, returned potentially hot lab equipment |
| TRAINSPOTTER | Anorak Del Boy possibly carries travelling in spa? |
| LADS | Boys possibly sad after being left (4) |
| ROYAL | Boys, possibly princes (5) |
| CONTRACTBRIDGE | Betrothal needs new wife to absorb good game (8,6) |
| WILLIAMGOLDING | Eager to absorb one American or British author (7,7) |
| HAZARD | Difficult to absorb aid to navigation ___ that's a risk (6) |
| NUTRIENTS | Athenian character attempts to absorb holy books ___ good things to digest (9) |
| TALC | A soft clay mineral, applied to the skin to absorb moisture (4) |
| LEARNING | Tendency to absorb only one of the basics to get scholarship |
| SHRINK | Make smaller place to absorb heat, taking hour to fill |
| WEEDKILLER | Little plant needing to absorb potassium - hesitation to provide garden chemical |
| ROTE | About to absorb old books as a way to learn |
| TERRA | 14-1's sphere about to absorb, er, everyone's sphere |
