| WITHOUTACLUE | Morse completely stumped, unable to start the crossword (7,1,4) |
| PUTAWORDIN | Interpose helpfully to start the crossword (3,1,4,2) |
| ATALOSS | Stumped, unable to proceed (2,1,4) |
| POLEPOSITION | Prime spot to start the race at 0degrees latitude? (4,8) |
| OPENINGHANDS | Bridge holdings sufficient to start the bidding with |
| NUTCRACKERSUITE | Lunatic, off his trolley, completely unable to start composition |
| ACE | Unable to start to confront expert |
| CANTATA | Choral work is unable to start to attract cheers (7) |
| SCANTY | Inadequate soprano is unable to start to yodel |
| EXTANT | Unable to start instrument, but is still in existence |
| LAYOFFS | Crucial matches unable to start: because of these? |
| EARNER | Money-making scheme trainee driver's unable to start (6) |
| LOTTO | Artist's drunk, unable to start |
| MATCHLESS | Possibly unable to start a fire without peer |
| EWEREALLYGOTME | Kinks song about being completely stumped by a sheep? |
| GALLSTONE | Completely stumped, lost tackling calculus (4,5) |
| NOTACLUE | I'm completely stumped! (3,1,4) |
| HASNOIDEA | Is completely stumped |
| STUMP | The saint gets the umpire to start the cricket here |
| WHISTLE | The referee blows it to start the game (7) |
