| TAKAICHI | First female prime minister of Japan, who succeeded Shigeru Ishiba in October 2025 (5,8) |
| SANAE | And 27 Across First female prime minister of Japan, who succeeded Shigeru Ishiba in October 2025 (5,8) |
| YOSHIHIDESUGA | Prime minister of Japan who succeeded Shinzo Abe on 16 September 2020 (9,4) |
| AKIHITO | Emperor of Japan who succeeded his father Hirohito in 1989 (7) |
| SARAHMULLALLY | Bishop of London announced as the next Archbishop of Canterbury in October 2025 (5,8) |
| BENAZIRBHUTTO | First and only female prime minister of Pakistan (1988-1990, 1993-1996): 2 wds. |
| SHINZOABE | Prime Minister of Japan who announced his resignation in August (6,3) |
| ABE | Shinzo ___ (former Prime Minister of Japan who was assassinated in July, 2022) |
| JACINDAARDERN | New Zealand's first female prime minister |
| ANDERSSON | First female prime minister of Sweden, who succeeded Stefan Lofven in November 2021 (9,9) |
| MAGDALENE | And 21 First female prime minister of Sweden, who succeeded Stefan Lofven in November 2021 (9,9) |
| IBRAHIM | Identify the first name of this cricketer who won the player of the ODI series between Afghanistan and Bangladesh in UAE in October 2025. (7) |
| CAMPBELLSSOUP | Our first female PM brought her classic minestrone, |
| RASHID | Identify the first name of this cricketer who took most wickets in the ODI series held between Afghanistan and Bangladesh in October 2025. (6) |
| PAKISTAN | Benazir Bhutto became prime minister of this country in 1988, becoming the first female PM of a Muslimmajority nation |
| AFRICA | In 1993, Sylvie Kinigi became the first female prime minister of this continent (6) |
| HIROHITO | More common name of Emperor Showa of Japan, who ruled for much of the 20th Century (8) |
| COSTE | Identify the surname of this Olympic Champion who passed away at the age of 101 in October 2025. (5) |
| GREENWOOD | Identify the surname of the footballer who scored a hat-trick for Marseille in the Ligue 1 match against Le Havre in October 2025. (7) |
| CONNOLLY | Catherine _, independent politician who was elected president of Ireland in October 2025 (8) |
