| MARGINALSEAT | It is hard to defend profit - at least most of it is wrong (8,4) |
| OPENANDSHUTCASE | Customs may demand to do it, but it's hard to defend (4,3,4,4) |
| DOCKLABOURERS | Harbourmen ___ or those who work hard to defend themselves in court? (4,9) |
| DEEP | Being abstruse, it is hard to get to the bottom of it (4) |
| BASIN | To drink out of it is wrong during prohibition! (5) |
| MUTTERING | Get the merciless one to speak and it is hard to understand it (9) |
| LIFETHREATENING | Very dangerous in general if the end of it is wrong |
| TASKMASTER | Enterprise to get a grip on reputation that it is hard to work for (10) |
| STICKER | It is hard to get rid of a gummed label (7) |
| PERSEVERE | Keep at it, though most of it is harsh (9) |
| ORDER | Being out of it is wrong (5) |
| GREASYPOLE | Post made slippery so it is hard to climb (6,4) |
| STEELY | It is hard to hold slippery fish in a dirty place |
| SCARCE | Panic when the key hidden in it is hard to find (6) |
| GRANITE | It is hard to get rain all over the place (7) |
| ELUSIVE | It is hard to find liver sausage without agars (7) |
| BRITISH | It is hard to support brother from the UK (7) |
| MILNE | Who wrote, in a classic children's book, "It is hard to be brave ... |
| PIGLET | Milne friend who notes, "It is hard to be brave when you're a Very Small Animal" |
| PHOTO | ___ finish - very close race where it is hard to identify winning boat (5) |
