| MORALIST | Puritan rather backing off before adult catalogue |
| SECULAR | Lay cryptic clues before adult readers primarily (7) |
| SOAPOPERA | Shoot up, ingesting drink and drug before adult show (4,5) |
| MANUAL | Blue-collar chap put on uniform before adult left (6) |
| SLALOM | Skiing event all fancy entering, some backing off (6) |
| AWOL | Some follow assailant, backing off |
| BADEGG | Rogue, say, blocks sign, backing off (3,3) |
| ENTRAP | Catch colleague backing off after recession (6) |
| KINGCOBRA | It's slithering or backing off (4,5) |
| GROMMET | Ring German general backing off entrance to Tobruk (7) |
| ALSO | "Piggy backing off that . . ." |
| BOTH | The couple care about backing off (4) |
| AVENUE | Approach a stunner backing off close to me (6) |
| EMPAIRE | European politician's broadcast backing off past damage |
| HYBRID | Cross extremely hungry woman in white backing off (6) |
| SHELTER | Retreat from ledge and end, backing off from both (7) |
| LIBIDO | Urge star, backing off, to accept offer (6) |
| STOIC | Patient individual in store backing off (5) |
| PAS | Step over, backing off (3) |
| LEARN | Find out about clearing bank backing off (5) |
