| BILDUNGSROMAN | Literary work dealing with a protagonist's formative years or spiritual education; German, 'education novel' (13) |
| LAYABOUT | Literary work dealing with idle ne'er-do-well |
| TREATISE | Formal written work dealing with a particular subject (8) |
| THEFARPAVILIONS | M.M. Kaye work with a protagonist named Ashton Hilary Akbar Pelham-Martyn |
| PLAY | 1969 stage play with a protagonist called Allan Felix (4,2,5,3) |
| ITAGAINSAM | 1969 stage play with a protagonist called Allan Felix (4,2,5,3) |
| DERRIDA | Philosopher dared to differ about spiritual education |
| GENDARME | Ed, German, walloped policeman abroad |
| HUBRIS | In classical Greek tragedy, excessive pride or ambition that leads to a protagonist's downfall (6) |
| CHARACTERACTRESS | Performer who often plays a protagonist's best friend |
| TRAGICFLAW | Shortcoming responsible for a protagonist's downfall |
| UPBRINGING | Education during formative years (10) |
| SHIPYARDS | Small trendy gardens in America where British queens spent formative years |
| EARLYON | Faculty attached to French city in one's formative years? (5,2) |
| SIRSI | Kashinath Naik - the formative years coach of Neeraj Chopra - hails from this small city in India. (5) |
| NURSERY | Where plants and toddlers spend their formative years (7) |
| ALLEGORY | A poem, play or picture in which the apparent meaning is used to symbolise a deeper moral or spiritual meaning (8) |
| AFFINITY | Relationship by marriage; or, a natural attraction/tendency to bond, be it chemical, physical or spiritual (8) |
| LONDONER | Dickens, in his formative years |
| TEENS | Formative years |
