| SHORTLIST | Rot, perhaps, from the best candidates! |
| STANDOUT | The best (candidate) (5-3) |
| OVERWATERED | Afflicted with root rot, perhaps |
| DEMONSTRATIVE | Expressive advisement rot, perhaps (13) |
| CASTYOURVOTE | Take your pick on the hustings? Sounds like one is fishing for the right candidate! (4,4,4) |
| MARGINAL | Sort of seat possibly alarming to a candidate! (8) |
| DREAMTICKET | Best candidates imagined dismissal being headed off |
| SHORTLISTED | Sorted this out with student among best candidates (11) |
| KEEPERS | Best candidates for permanent relationships |
| PROCESVERBAL | Written report for boss reveals openings for best candidates |
| CRAM | Take the middle bit from the best stuff |
| RINGSIDES | Telephone teams from the best seats in the house |
| BADNEWSTRAVELSFAST | The latest, if far from the best, careers? |
| STUN | Surprise from the best uncle in the world (4) |
| RECORDDEAL | Prize for an aspiring musical artist, perhaps from the first word of the answer to a starred clue |
| MEANDER | Wind, low, rose perhaps from the east |
| ONETIME | A single sentence, perhaps, from the past |
| YELLOWSTONE | Gold perhaps, from the world's first national park |
| EDWARDIAN | Aide drawn, perhaps, from the period 1901-10 (9) |
| STATUE | A fine figure of a man, perhaps, from the foundry? (6) |
