| RASPUTIN | Russian religious mystic perceived to have influenced Tsar Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra and their son Alexei (8) |
| POE | Author said to have influenced Hitchcock |
| SNL | TV show thought to have influenced some 2008 voters |
| THECITADEL | 1937 AJ Cronin novel about a doctor's work in a mining town, which is thought to have influenced the NHS's creation |
| ANASTASIA | Youngest daughter of Russian tsar Nicholas II believed to have been executed by the Bolsheviks in 1918 (9) |
| HALLMARKHOLIDAY | Term for a celebration perceived to exist mainly to sell people cards and gifts |
| DUMA | Lower house of the Russian parliament from 1906 to 1917, created by Tsar Nicholas II and overthrown by the Bolsheviks (4) |
| ELI | Roger ..., 1987-88 Crewe Alexandra and 1989-94 Burnley striker (3) |
| AINLEY | Callum ___, 2015-2023 Crewe Alexandra and 2023-2025 Grimsby Town midfielder (6) |
| RIZA | Meaning "robe", an ornate cover, oklad or revetment of silver or gilt for protecting a Russian religious icon, through which only the subject's face, feet and manuses can be seen (4) |
| TOMBOYS | Girls who dress and behave in ways perceived to be boyish (7) |
| ROMANOV | Russian imperial dynasty whose rule ended with the overthrow of the last tsar, Nicholas II, in 1917 (7) |
| MCCREADY | Chris ___, former Morecambe, Crewe Alexandra and Tranmere Rovers defender (8) |
| CLAYTONINCE | Former Trinidad & Tobago, Crewe Alexandra and Walsall goalkeeper (7,4) |
| MARINA | Daughter of Princess Alexandra and Angus Ogilvy (6) |
| JASONPRIESTLEY | Republican who may have influenced Dubya supporter Shannen Doherty |
| SCHISM | Heads of state could have influenced social media division (6) |
| ICON | Russian religious image (4) |
| JULIANOFNORWICH | John, ironic, clashed with awful religious mystic (6,2,7) |
| QUIETIST | Religious mystic left, keeping place for reflection |
