| UKES | Strings of |
| BALALAIKAS | Russians pull the strings of these airlines, removing head of one as leaders of Iran, Kazakhstan and |
| ROPES | Parties of linked climbers; strands of beads or pearls; cords by which church bells are rung, sledges hauled, tricks performed or soaps hung; or, strings of onions (5) |
| CHAINS | Sequences of links, whether in the form of fast food outlets, house buyers and sellers, mountains, necklaces, shackles or strings of sausages (6) |
| SENTENCES | Strings of words or periods of imprisonment (9) |
| PLECTRUM | What do you call the small piece of plastic etc used to pluck the strings of a guitar? (8) |
| STRUMS | Sounds the strings of a guitar or banjo with the sweep of a thumb or plectrum (6) |
| CHORDS | Harmonic sets of three or more musical notes played simultaneously; or, an old or poetic word for the strings of instrument such as a harp (6) |
| STIRTHEPOT | Cause trouble, or a description of what the strings of circled letters do |
| STRUM | To sound the strings of a guitar or banjo with the sweep of a thumb or plectrum (5) |
| SHAKEWEIGHT | Oscillating exercise device of infomercial fame . . . or how to arrive at the four strings of circled letters in this puzzle |
| ROSARIES | Almost got up at the sign of The Ram with strings of beads (8) |
| PIZZICATO | Technique of plucking the strings of a violin, eg |
| BRIDGE | Piece of wood supporting the strings of a violin, guitar etc |
| COLLEGNO | Musical direction to play the strings of an instrument by striking them with the back of the bow; Italian, 'with the wood' (3,5) |
| BULBS | Incandescent devices forming strings of fairy lights; or, subterranean shoots of "Christmas sweet" tulips, hyacinths, paperwhite narcissi or Christmas lilies, aka amaryllises/hippeastrums (5) |
| SOFT | Selection of strings of this piano (4) |
| MANIPULATED | Pulled the strings of, e.g. |
| LINES | Strings of waiters |
| VIOLS | Strings of yore |
