| DECAYED | Rotten ten years, it's said (7) |
| OLDSOUL | Someone wise beyond their years, it's said |
| LINEAGE | Wrinkle appears with advancing years - it's hereditary |
| OLDAGE | One's "golden years," it's said |
| OCT | Except in leap years, its calendar is identical to Jan. |
| MAJORITYVERDICT | Soldier to evict dirty, rotten 10 out of 12? (8,7) |
| STENTORIAN | Loud, as in rotten (10) |
| DECOMPOSED | Legal document blocks compost (mostly rotten) (10) |
| BACKINACTION | Cameron Diaz returns to the silver screen next year for her first movie in 11 years; its title is very fitting |
| FEBRUARY | in leap years it's longer |
| SCOUNDRELS | 1988 comedy film starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine, Dirty Rotten - (10) |
| OBGYN | Kind of doctor Mindy's been keeping busy lately, with three kids in the past 6 1/2 years; it's also the kind of doctor she played on "The Mindy Project" |
| INSTAGRAM | The fashion world's Met Gala was held on Sept. 13 this year; its corporate sponsor was this website, where you can find many photos from the event |
| ANNUM | Per year, it's Latin (5) |
| SOLSTICE | Time of year - it's close, anyhow (8) |
| SPRING | For part of the year, it's free (6) |
| HANDY | And in a hard year it's useful (5) |
| YUCKY | Fortunate to leave loch for year - it's disgusting! (5) |
| PATRIOTIC | Loving country music group - every year it's over touring clubs |
| NOTTHEHEATITS | Platitude often heard at this time of year: 'It's ... ... .... ... ... ........ ' (3,3,4,2'1,3,8) |
