| CATHERINEHOWARD | Henry VIII's fifth wife, beheaded on a charge of adultery after less than two years of marriage (9,6) |
| BOLEYN | The second wife of Henry VIII and mother of Elizabeth I; was executed on a charge of adultery (1507-1536) friends called her Anne (6) |
| HOWARD | Surname of Henry VIII's fifth wife (6) |
| ILISSUS | The writer loses first wife, beheaded in the river (7) |
| TRUSS | Liz who resigned as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after less than two months (October, 2022) |
| NERVA | Emperor of Rome for less than two years, succeeded by Trajan (5) |
| THOMASMORE | Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII 1529-1532, executed on a charge of treason (6,4) |
| MORE | Thomas ---, Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII 1529-32, executed on a charge of treason (4) |
| HISS | Alger, U.S. State Department official tried twice on a charge of perjury in 1949 and 1950 (4) |
| ABLE | Member of a ship's deck department with more than two years' experience, _ seaman (4) |
| THORN | "Rose without a ___" one of Henry VIII's terms of endearment for his fifth wife Catherine Howard (5) |
| OCTOPUS | Fish soup is cooked after less than a full month |
| APRICOTS | After less than a month, beds trees |
| TEND | Look after less than a shilling in old money (4) |
| PYGMALION | Mythological sculptor producing a sign after less than minute (9) |
| NOVATE | Replace with new contract at base after less than half a month |
| PERENNIAL | Plant with a life cycle of more than two years |
| HAMPTONCOURT | Tudor palace with some 1,000 rooms including its Great Hall and Wolsey Closet, and a long gallery, reputedly haunted by Henry VIII's fifth queen, Catherine Howard (7,5) |
| PARR | Young salmon up to two years of age, between the stages of try and smolt (4) |
| PRETERM | After less than nine months interpreter must supply what's needed |
