| THUGS | Toughs ... or an anagram of TOUGHS minus a letter |
| HARDSET | A group of toughs plagued by problems |
| GANG | Bunch of toughs |
| STAPLERS | Office supplies, or, minus a letter, a supplier of them |
| SEGA | Company whose name, aptly, is an anagram of GAMES minus a letter |
| TWPS | Bush - or an anagram of BUSH plus one letter |
| SHRUB | Bush - or an anagram of BUSH plus one letter |
| TAMES | Breaks ... or an anagram of the ends of five Across answers in this puzzle |
| PAT | Tap lightly, or an anagram of "tap" |
| BUS | The "B" in USB, or an anagram of USB |
| EON | Time period, or an anagram of one? |
| ENOLA | Sherlock's teen sister, or an anagram of "Leona" |
| NASH | Actress Niecy, or an anagram of "Hans" |
| STENO | Pro at taking notes, or an anagram of "notes" |
| TESSERA | Mosaic tile, or an anagram of "reseats" |
| SVEN | Name that's a number minus a letter |
| ROTUND | Word that, minus a letter, is its own synonym |
| ECO | Prefix that's 36- Down minus a letter |
| ENAMOR | Romantic word that's aptly romance spelled backwards, minus a letter |
| CUSTOMER | A buyer, consumer, patron, punter, regular or shopper; or, a person, perhaps tough or tricky, with whom one has dealings (8) |
