| HARVARD | University that's based in Cambridge, MA (7) |
| MIT | University based in Cambridge, MA (3) |
| MODERNA | American pharmaceutical and biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts that produced a COVID-19 vaccine |
| APRIORI | The lead in Antigone at The Abbey isn't finished - for one, that's based on theoretical deduction (1,6) |
| INVALID | One no longer fit to serve? That's based on faulty information (7) |
| STATUED | Said to incorporate university that's monumentally depicted (7) |
| GRADUAL | Student with a line about university that's measured (7) |
| PLATEAU | Serving a university that's plainly on the rise (7) |
| FICTION | Redhead scorns conflict that's based on pure fantasy |
| UTOPIAN | Best chap going to University - that's ideal |
| CLEMSON | South Carolina university that's home to the Tigers |
| HARVARDUNIVERSITY | Well-known academic institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| HARVARDSQUARE | Attraction in Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| PORTERHOUSEBLUE | Doorman to put up with dirty work based in Cambridge (11,4) |
| BLACKMONDAY | Comedy that's based on a big new story in 1987 |
| CENTRALSQUARE | Cambridge, Massachusetts, neighborhood directly in between the campuses of MIT and Harvard, and what is literally in the other theme answers |
| WELLFOUNDED | Cathedral city briefly established? That's based on sound evidence (4-7) |
| BAYOU | Parking area over by university that's swamped in US (5) |
| FLOATINGBRIDGE | Drifting towards game that's based on pontoon (8,6) |
| THELASTOFUS | New TV series that's based on a video game (3) |
