| ILLUSTRATION | Pictorial matter used to explain or decorate a text (12) |
| ILLUSTRATE | To explain or decorate a book or text with pictures (10) |
| ILLUSTRATOR | An artist who makes or designs pictorial matter for books or magazines (11) |
| LEAFMOULD | Decayed matter used to improve soil (4,5) |
| STEMCELLS | Units of matter used to assimilate some humans into the hive mind in Pluribus |
| DIAGRAM | Picture used to explain how I had raised a weight (7) |
| BABEL | Location of a biblical tower used to explain the differences in language around the world (5) |
| RIBBON | Length of satin or grosgrain used as a hatband, to secure a pointe shoe or decorate a hand-tied bouquet (6) |
| ICE | Something to put in drink or decorate a cake? (3) |
| EMBOSS | Mould or decorate a surface with a raised design (6) |
| FERMENTATION | No fine matter used for process of producing alcohol (12) |
| ANALOGY | A simile- or metaphor-like literary device consisting of a comparison between things in order to explain or clarify an idea (7) |
| MYSTERY | Something that is hard to explain or to understand (7) |
| EXPOUND | To explain or set forth an argument or theory in detail (7) |
| RATIONALISE | Attempt to explain or understand logically (11) |
| ANALYST | One who examines something to explain or interpret it (7) |
| PAINT | Substance used as a coating to protect or decorate (5) |
| MYSTERIOUS | Difficult or impossible to understand, explain, or identify (10) |
| ALMONDPASTE | A "love it or hate it" frangipane-like confection synonymous with marzipan, to cover a fruitcake, decorate a Battenberg, model a small fruit or to line a poached pear flan (6,5) |
| OCHRE | This clay earth pigment has been used since prehistoric times to paint or decorate cave walls |
