| DUEDILIGENCE | Stagecoach is outstanding from the start and that's a concern for anyone doing preparatory work on Wall Street (3,9) |
| ENTANGLE | Twist in English novel from the start and that's the catch (8) |
| AFTERTASTE | Fattest are tipsy - that's a concern for wine buffs (10) |
| INSIDIOUS | Sidney follows what's trending and outstanding from Machiavellian type (9) |
| SCRAPINGHOME | Just managing to succeed, doing preparatory work before redecoration? (8,4) |
| POUNDNOTES | Preparatory work on 'The Cantos'? |
| ARTPAPER | Material for a drawer in a school - the type anyone doing a rough sketch could draw on? (3,5) |
| SKIVVY | A female servant, or anyone doing menial work |
| AFFAIR | Relationship that's a concern? (6) |
| SELFINTEREST | Starts 18 across with appeal that's a concern to me (4-8) |
| HITTHEHEADLINES | Principal is on strike from the start and queues to get the attention of the journalists (3,3,9) |
| WRAPPINGPAPER | With striking patience from the start, and regular samples, tutor finally covers the present |
| ISOSTASY | Single call for help to stay relaxed is a concern for the geologists looking for a crust (8) |
| BESTLAIDPLANS | Belts out first-class ditty from the start and orchestrates with meticulous preparations (4,4,5) |
| MONEYLENDING | Bread and port is a concern for the author working in the banking business (12) |
| PASTRIES | A concern for the historian from Ireland after writing final chapters of The Danish and Others (8) |
| HAZARD | A lot of mist on a road is a concern for drivers (6) |
| FRAIL | Tender from the start, and go crook |
| MUNNINGS | Depicted in the 2013 film Summer in February, a painter of sporting scenes, horses and the English countryside whose pieces include The Start and My Wife, My Horse and Myself (8) |
| SHERPA | A civil servant or diplomat who undertakes preparatory work before a summit conference (6) |
