| BACKSTORY | Events leading up to the main plot |
| PRELIM | A lead up to the main event |
| THESEA | Sounds like the title of this movie was the main plot (3,3) |
| BAYEUX | - - - Tapestry, 70 metre long medieval embroidery, depicting events leading up to the Norman Conquest (6) |
| TAPESTRY | 70 metre-long embroidery depicting events leading up to the Norman conquest of England (6,8) |
| DIRGE | The bars leading up to the final note of the song |
| LOOMING | The ___, Lawrence Wright's Pulitzer winning book on events leading to the 11 September 2001 attacks (7,5) |
| TOWER | The ....... ..... , Lawrence Wright's book on events leading to the 9/11 attack (7,5) |
| MANGO | Crazy behaviour attributed to the oppressive conditions leading up to the wet season in Australia's |
| REDWEDGE | A collective of musicians who attempted to engage young people with politics in the period leading up to the 1987 general election |
| NONES | In the Roman calendar, the days leading up to the ides (middle) of each month (5) |
| APRON | Pinny - part of the fairway leading up to the green (5) |
| SCAM | Main plot element in "The Sting" |
| STEPPINGSTONES | Intermediate actions or events leading to a goal |
| STEEPLECHASES | Track events leading to pursuit in church towers (13) |
| DOMINOEFFECT | One event leading to others turns mind to coffee (6,6) |
| SPANISHSTEPS | Stairway in Rome leading up to the church of the Santissima Trinita dei Monti (7,5) |
| STEPS | Stairway in Rome leading up to the church of the Santissima Trinita dei Monti (7,5) |
| SPANISH | Stairway in Rome leading up to the church of the Santissima Trinita dei Monti (7,5) |
| CUSP | Days leading up to the next sign, in astrology |
