| ULM | Initially urgent literary material was handled by a top aviator |
| MOSESBASKET | Rush job? It was handled in Exodus (5,6) |
| LIBRARIAN | A custodian of literary material is a bookie, perhaps |
| SNIPPET | A short excerpt of news or literary material (7) |
| ADDRESSING | Speaking to a doctor, not initially urgent |
| LIBRARIES | Rooms, or sets of rooms, where books and other literary materials are kept (9) |
| WYCLIFFE | This TV drama set in Cornwall was produced by a top film-maker and his wife Elsie -- we hear it took a year to put it together (8) |
| EDITOR | Name a trio composed by a top journalist (6) |
| PIPE | First piece by a top performer on a wind instrument |
| SODAWATER | Drink order initially handled by a steward badly (4,5) |
| PAVAROTTI | Air ace, top aviator, short of oxygen, desperately |
| PILOT | Secret scheme to capture India's top aviator (5) |
| ACCRETE | Surprisingly, the tree in the middle of Purse Caundle was planted by a top celebrity -- we have seen it grow (7) |
| PIPER | Early pieces by a top performing Hamelin music maker |
| CATACOMB | Strange act by a top stylist in vault (8) |
| AMONGST | Surrounded by a top monetary tax |
| RATED | Assessed the speed by a top driver (5) |
| EGGHEAD | Something poached by a top intellectual! (7) |
| BIGCAT | Piece about George Cross being taken by a top killer |
| COUPLES | Joins up with the French, led by a top officer |
