| PULLSTRINGS | Exert personal influence, especially secretly or unofficially (4,6) |
| CLOUT | Power or influence, especially in politics (5) |
| EMINENCE | Person wielding power secretly or unofficially; originally applied to Pere Joseph (1577-1638) (8) |
| GRISE | Person wielding power secretly or unofficially; originally applied to Pere Joseph (1577-1638) (5) |
| DECAMP | To take off, especially secretly (6) |
| TRYST | An appointment to meet, especially secretly (5) |
| TRYSTS | Appointments to meet, especially secretly (6) |
| OPENSECRET | So pretence is involved in what everyone knows unofficially (4,6) |
| GREYIMPORT | A car unofficially brought into the UK (4,6) |
| OFFTHECUFF | Unofficially - improvised (3,3,4) |
| INFORMALLY | Tell a friend unofficially (10) |
| ONTHEQUIET | Unofficially (2,3,5) |
| ESPIAL | The act of observing, spotting or watching, secretly or otherwise (6) |
| IMPETUS | I come from America, carrying personal influence |
| INTERESTING | Personal influence in Greek capital is holding one's attention (11) |
| MOJO | Personal influence over others (informal) (4) |
| WIRETAP | To tap to get information secretly or underhandedly |
| OVERTLY | Dismissing head, secretly or in public? (7) |
| SEEDLIP | Act of proceeding secretly or unobtrusively (7) |
| SMUGGLE | Convey secretly; or, to cuddle (7) |
