| BYES | Situations in which players or teams win a round of a contest by virtue of having no opponent (4) |
| BYE | A side issue/incidental matter; a free pass to a tournament's next round by virtue of having no opponent; a type of extra in cricket; or, an informal way of saying "farewell, toodle-pip" (3) |
| HAND | The cards dealt to a player in a round of a card game (4) |
| SPORTS | Activities, usually involving physical effort, in which players or teams compete against each other (6) |
| SITS | Wins a round of musical chairs, say |
| RUBBERSTAMP | Authorise a contest by step (6-5) |
| LOOSE | Slack and don't win a round in it (5) |
| CAMP | Providing sophisticated amusement by virtue of having artificially (and vulgarly) mannered or banal or sentimental qualities. |
| TRICK | Deception wins a round of cards (5) |
| REC | Team's win-loss status: abbr. |
| UPSET | Weaker team's win |
| EXIGENT | Demanding English team win round noon (7) |
| SEED | Word for a grain, kernel, nut, pip, stone or other sown propagule or embryo of a plant, thus a beginning, origin of an idea or a source; or, one of a contest's top contenders, scattered throughout a t |
| WALK | Meaning "roll" or "wander", an amble, ramble, saunter or stroll; the regular circuit or round of a trader, postman etc; or, by extension, one's course of life or profession (4) |
| TURN | An act of kindness; a short walk; or, one round of a coil in a knot (4) |
| HEAT | Single section of a contest (4) |
| RIGS | Manipulates the outcome of a contest |
| DQED | Kicked out of a contest, briefly |
| ROUT | Laugher of a contest |
| TUGOFWAR | A contest in which two people or teams pull opposite ends of a rope in an attempt to drag the opposition over a central line (3-2-3) |
