| SURFACE | Word for the outer boundary or level top layer of something (7) |
| PLATEAU | Raised area with level top (7) |
| MESA | Hill with steep sides and a level top |
| BLANKET | From the Old French for "white", a bedcover or manta; or, a layer of something such as bluebells, cloud, fog, snow or whale blubber (7) |
| EXODERM | One name for the outer germ layer of an animal embryo |
| COPINGS | Top layers of company messages (7) |
| RUBICON | Boundary or limitation named after Italian river (7) |
| HEDGING | Avoid committing yourself, particularly in relation to boundary or divisional plants in a row! (7,4,4) |
| SOIL | The top layer of the land surface of the earth (4) |
| OILWELL | Bore found in earth lacking top layer, but in good condition (3,4) |
| PLAYERS | Cast top layer, staying inside |
| EPI | Prefix with dermis for the outer layer of the skin |
| SURFACEMAIL | Top layer of flexible armour required for a seaborne post (7,4) |
| ARD | Primitive type of plough used to scratch the top layer of soil (3) |
| HEDGE | Word linking with "hog" for an insectivorous mammal, "row" for a rural boundary or "sparrow" for the common name of a dunnock (5) |
| CRUST | Name for the outer layer of planet Earth. (5) |
| SOD | The grassy top layer of the soil |
| GROUNDFROST | Icy coating on the top layer of soil (6,5) |
| OVERCOAT | The top layer of paint may be worn! (8) |
| ZONE | From "girdle", a word first for each of five belts into which Earth's surface is divided, later an area or district defined by a certain boundary; or, an encircling stripe of different colour (4) |
