| VASSALAGE | In a feudal system, a subordinate state (9) |
| SERF | Member of the lower class, in a feudal system |
| FIEF | Land in a feudal system |
| PEASANTRY | Lowest class in feudal system (9) |
| PTOLEMAIC | The ___ system, a model of the universe with Earth at its centre, is named after the Alexandrian astronomer who formulated it (9) |
| PARTYLINE | Shared communication system - a political policy? |
| DELEGATED | Deal, for example, Ted arranged and entrusted to a subordinate (9) |
| UNDERLING | A subordinate was controlled to catch some fish (9) |
| VASSAL | Subservient party in a feudal relationship (6) |
| LIEGE | Plie, generally in a feudal allegiance (5) |
| LIEGELORD | A feudal superior (5-4) |
| OCCLUDEDFRONT | Weather system a€“ horrible a€“ often cold a€“ crud! (8,5) |
| AMBER | Once part of a tree's immune system, a gem occurring in colours from yellow and orange to red and brown (5) |
| SYNAPSE | In the nervous system, a gap between adjacent neurons, or between a neuron and an effector cell, across which electrical impulses are transmitted (7) |
| DEFAME | Back in the system, a federalist admitted libel (6) |
| LORD | A master of a feudal manor; a courtesy title given to the son or heir apparent of a duke, earl or marquess; or, a manner of address for a bishop or a judge (4) |
| COG | Word for any one of the sprockets of a gear or other toothed wheel, thus for a subordinate who performs a routine or small part in a greater system (3) |
| VILLEIN | Class of serf in the feudal system (7) |
| GROCKLE | Popularised by the 1964 lm The System, a word used by some Devonians to describe a holidaymaker (7) |
| DOSTOYEVSKY | Author of computing system, a plaything for even half a TV outfit (11) |
