| BOOK | Record of bets; set of rules; or, a number of pages, stamps, tickets or fabric swatches bound together (4) |
| PREAMBLE | Pleb nervously clutched a number of pages of his opening statement (8) |
| MOODBOARD | Collage of fabric swatches, paint chips, etc. |
| DOUBLESTANDARDS | Unequally applied rules, or a hint to interpreting the starred clues' answers |
| ADHERENCE | Faithful attachment to the rules, or a sticking together (9) |
| CARNET | A book of tickets; or, a customs permit or "passport for goods" (6) |
| CLIPS | Cuts, punches, snips or trims of films, kerbs, newspapers, shearlings, tickets or topiaries; or, hair slides (5) |
| OSTRICH | Buy tickets or chits for big bird (7) |
| SCONCE | The head; university slang for a tankard of ale drunk without taking a breath as a fine for a breach of rules or etiquette; the mug used; a lantern or screened torch carried by a handle; a bracket can |
| MESS | Word for a group of iguanas; or, a number of military personnel who eat together in a dining hall or room of the same name (4) |
| RUBRIC | A set of rules or instructions, for example at the beginning of an examination paper (6) |
| CODE | A set of rules or principles or laws especially written ones (4) |
| SAVER | One who hoards, like a magpie or a squirrel; a lifeguard or rescuer; a cheap ticket; or, a hedging bet (5) |
| EXAMPLE | Something characteristic of its kind or illustrating/explaining a rule; or, a person worthy of imitation (7) |
| REIGN | A monarch's period of rule; or, the time during which a person or thing is pre-eminent or powerful (5) |
| ASIA | A country once losing money - or a number of countries (4) |
| POSITIVE | A desirable quality; a photo printed from a negative; or, a number greater than zero, symbolised by the + sign (8) |
| YARD | Describing an arm or a number of feet (4) |
| TRAIN | Get coaching or a number of coaches to make it (5) |
| ASET | Words before "of rules" or "of china" |
