| WESTAFRICA | Primarily, what encompasses Senegal, Togo alongside fourteen republics (Ivory Coast, also)? (4,6) |
| BUMMALO | A small fish found off southern Asian coasts, also known as Bombay duck (7) |
| SWELLEDHEAD | Big ego, or what encompasses |
| NOTE | Mention something used alongside 14? (4) |
| MATTDAMON | He'll star alongside 14-Across in Christopher Nolan's next (as yet untitled) film, set for July 2026 release |
| MASLEN | Scott _, plays Jack Branning alongside 14 Down (6) |
| MAURITANIA | Once a French colony, much of this country, which is bordered by Western Sahara, Mali, Algeria, and Senegal, encompasses the Sahara desert. |
| CUMBERLAND | NSW county that encompasses most of the Sydney metro area (10) |
| CENTIGRADE | Variation of genetic resistance encompasses a degree of metric scale |
| ROOTSMUSIC | Umbrella term that encompasses styles like blues, gospel and zydeco |
| INLANDPIRE | SoCal region that sometimes encompasses Palm Springs |
| BEMUSEMENT | Live entertainment not primarily what a crossword may provide? |
| THOLE | Pin ___ that's primarily what golfer aims at (5) |
| WILL | It comprises primarily what is left, legally (4) |
| CEPS | Primarily, what are called (exotically) 'porcini' sometimes? (4) |
| WICKETS | Primarily what accompanies strikers' initial lapses?! (7) |
| SWORDPLAY | Battling with setter primarily what cryptic crosswords offer |
| LUCRE | Cash primarily what's tempting fences? (5) |
| LOOTED | Went ahead and held up, also ? stole from (6) |
| NOAH | Was the timber he used two by two also? (4) |
