| SHORTLISTS | In which top candidates appear lean in sportswear |
| THIN | Most hint at wanting to appear lean-looking (4) |
| DREAMTEAM | Running mate made Republican top candidates |
| SHORTLIST | Here top candidates, found lacking, go to one side |
| PORTAMENTO | Style of singing with which top tenor somehow enthrals a maiden (10) |
| PERRYELLIS | Big name in sportswear design |
| KEEPINGFIT | Energetic Peg fine in sportswear, doing exercises (7,3) |
| EASTERLILY | Flower, one beginning to lean in wind |
| ALPHA | Final phase, in which top mark is obtained (5) |
| GENERALELECTION | In which top brass are chosen? No, politicians (7,8) |
| NOTRUMP | In which top club can't lose due to red card, for example |
| PREMIERSHIP | In which top players compete for PM's job (11) |
| MENU | BBC show in which top chefs compete with one another, Great British _ (4) |
| SKAT | Game in which top trumps are called matadors |
| SIMPLE | Easy test in which top mark goes to first person (6) |
| EARACHE | Taking part in sportswear, a cheat reveals something wrong in the head (7) |
| PANTOMIME | Christmas show which top men aim to turn out (9) |
| PERFORMANCE | Key attribute of cars to which top speed and acceleration contribute (11) |
| PRIMATES | Order to which top churchmen belong (8) |
| LAMPPOST | Street furniture on which George Formby would lean in song (4,4) |
