| NINEDAYSWONDER | What'll be anodyne news, I'd fancy, around end of year? |
| ACACIAS | What'll be, so they say, trees (7) |
| POINSETTIA | A petition's going around, growth seen around end of year? |
| DECORATION | Star, say, making speech at end of year? (10) |
| DECENCY | Enclosed yard after end of year? It's the right thing to do |
| USURP | Take place of our team, getting promoted around end of year |
| DREAD | Awful fear of being deceased around end of year (5) |
| GROUP | Team to be promoted around end of year (5) |
| VARNISH | Shiner to fade away around end of year |
| FRAIL | Stop working around end of year, being weak |
| GAFFERS | Bosses in blunders around end of year (7) |
| CROUCH | Settle around end of year and hunker down (6) |
| INTERPRET | Make clear, together with favourite around end of year (9) |
| ORNIS | The avifauna is no different around end of year (5) |
| SUNDECK | Went down around end of year to basking place (3,4) |
| GRAVE | Slow piece presented around end of year (5) |
| UNDECEIVE | Enlighten a French woman embracing one around end of year |
| SIDECAR | Teacher, around end of year, needing a cocktail |
| ARREST | Stop to have a breather around end of year |
| DROLL | Amusing puppet around end of year (5) |
