| PARAGLIDER | High-flyer hit back at lawyer, providing cover to vacuous entrepreneur |
| TIGERMOTH | Flyer hit back, defending books on bug |
| LIMPID | Providing cover to protect the rascal. That's clear (6) |
| STAFFER | White House operative, for instance, seen in club with vacuous entrepreneur |
| NOBLES | Peers at lawyer taken in by negative replies (6) |
| AGREE | Nod at lawyer on lake, here? |
| BARRACK | Jeer at "Lawyers cudgel their brains" (7) |
| TABLOIDS | Hit back at headlines in leading online papers designed to appeal to a mass readership |
| PSST | It's said to draw attention to vacuous press statement after scoop (4) |
| CALAMITYJANE | It's a disaster when German gives the nod to vacuous nuisance to make musical |
| MALIGN | Hit back at a good number, initially, to defame others (6) |
| MARATHON | Hit back at home working to compete in the long run (8) |
| MARSHAL | Arrange in order to hit back at quiet gangster |
| ANTECEDE | Go before stake, church adhering to vacuous doctrine (8) |
| POSTERGIRL | Job given to vacuous engineer ahead of person who epitomises the qualities specified |
| WIDGETS | Everyman would get stuck in to vacuous words and devices (7) |
| SWEATY | Playing Steinway, oblivious to vacuous intern describing clammy appearance |
| DONTASKME | I've no idea why academic gave job to vacuous mate |
| TONELESS | Lacking interest, write to vacuous nuisance, suggesting a smaller amount |
| CAPER | Headgear given to vacuous entertainer for ridiculous escapade |
