| COCACOLA | First sold in 1886 in Atlanta, US as a medicinal tonic, this drink has now become an internationally renowned beverage (4,4) |
| AFL | Org. started in 1886 in Columbus, Ohio |
| MILK | Silybum marianum, the - - - - or Mary thistle often grown as a medicinal herb (4) |
| NING | Who is this gymnast, who won six medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, which, incidentally, was the first Olympics in which his country was taking part (it has now become a sporting powerhouse)? (4) |
| LI | Who is this gymnast, who won six medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, which, incidentally, was the first Olympics in which his country was taking part (it has now become a sporting powerhouse)? (2) |
| DANCING | ___ On Ice, celebrity skating show on which former participant, 6D, has now become a 51D (7) |
| NIALL | First name of Mr Horan, the One Direction member who joined The Voice in the US as a coach in 2023 (5) |
| SPRITE | Soft drink created by the Coca- Cola Company and introduced in the US as a competitor to 7 Up in 1961(6) |
| PICKMEUP | Something such as a bracer, cordial, medicinal tonic, stimulating drink or tiramisu, that boosts, cheers, refreshes or revives (4-2-2) |
| RAJAH | Aha! JR has now become a ruler! (5) |
| ATOLL | Coral island and surrounding reef such as Diego Garcia (used by the US as a air base in the Indian Ocean) and Mururoa (used by the French to test nuclear weapons in the Pacific) |
| BEN | Michael Jackson's first number one single in the US as a solo artist |
| BARNUM | Which two US rivals joined forces in 1881 to create an internationally famous circus? (6,6) |
| BAILEY | Which two US rivals joined forces in 1881 to create an internationally famous circus? (6,6) |
| PRIUS | First mass-produced hybrid car, first sold in Japan in 1997, then worldwide in 2000 (5) |
| THIS | "So. Much. ___." (typical Reddit comment that has now become ironic) |
| QATAR | Nation that gave a $400 million aircraft to the US as a temporary Air Force One. (5) |
| BOATMAN | The water ___ is an aquatic insect known in the USA as a backswimmer (7) |
| COYPU | A large South American aquatic rodent, known in North America as a nutria (5) |
| SPEEDCUBER | Participant in a race involving a puzzle toy first sold in 1977 |
