| HONECKER | Erich _, head of state of East Germany 1976-89 (8) |
| TREIBER | Birgit ....... , East Germany 1976 Olympics 100m and 200m backstroke swimming silver medallist behind compatriot Ulrike Richter (7) |
| ANDROPOV | Yuri _, head of state of the Soviet Union (1983-84) |
| SUZERAIN | Top person ___ head of zealots ___ comes in to litigate with precipitation (8) |
| EJECTION | Because of state of depression, Penny escaped dismissal (8) |
| CAMBODIA | Nation known as Kampuchea from 1976-89 |
| NORIEGA | Manuel ___, military leader; de facto head of state of Panama from 1983-89 (7) |
| MAO | First head of state of the People's Republic of China |
| TITULAR | Existing in name only, as in "___ head of state"? |
| PRESIDENT | Head of state of a republic - Barack Obama was elected to become the 44th holder of the US office |
| AMIN | Idi ?, head of state of Uganda from 1971-79 |
| PETAIN | Head of State of Vichy France (6) |
| SANDRAMASON | Head of state of Barbados, replacing Queen Elizabeth II on November 30 2021 |
| GORBACHEV | Mikhail ---, head of state of the Soviet Union 1988-91 (9) |
| EMIR | Title of the heads of state of Kuwait and Qatar (4) |
| TARABA | State of east Nigeria created out of the former Gongola State in 1991; capital, Jalingo (6) |
| HIDALGO | Small state of east central Mexico immediately north of Mexico City; capital, Pachuca de Soto (7) |
| SAXONY | German state, once part of East Germany (6) |
| STASI | The repressive state security service of East Germany (5) |
| STALKER | John ___, head of an eponymous inquiry into shootings of suspected members of the Provisional IRA (7) |
