| SOONER | Rather it were earlier (6) |
| ALARMCLOCK | 6 Device that goes off when you'd rather it didn't (5,5) |
| YARDARM | Where were earlier miscreant sailors hanged (7) |
| RITZIEST | Most stylish spot to hold last couple of ceremonies - the rest were earlier |
| TWAIN | Sergeant Fathom and Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass were earlier pseudonyms of which US author? (4,5) |
| MARK | Sergeant Fathom and Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass were earlier pseudonyms of which US author? (4,5) |
| PASTIS | Old man relaxes, as it were, having drink (6) |
| SETTEE | Crossword solver, as it were, gets a seat (6) |
| ADORES | Dares to love, as it were (6) |
| ESCORT | To accompany Cortes as it were? (6) |
| ALBEIT | Take the bite Al, as it were? (6) |
| STEADY | Sad yet resolute as it were! (6) |
| DENOTE | Mean to remove memorandum, as it were (6) |
| STUPOR | Accommodates, as it were, men in drunken state? (6) |
| OPENED | Deep? No! But laid bare, as it were (6) |
| DEAFEN | Remove the sound effects as it were? (6) |
| COWARD | One won't put a toe in the water? Lower away, as it were! (6) |
| DIMITY | Homework, as it were, comes round with German cotton (6) |
| BERTIE | Drone, as it were, released inside stage of rocket (6,7) |
| MERCIA | Parisian appreciated a piece of England, as it were (6) |
