| PLY | A strand of yarn or rope (3) |
| SHY | Shylock retiring? Without a strand of hair, he is (3) |
| WISP | A handful of hay or straw; a small broom; a twisted bunch used as a torch; a strand of hair; a streak of smoke; or, one of slight or delicate stature (4) |
| TUG | A sudden forcible pull or wrench, such as that figuratively in love or war; a boat or plane for towing; a chain or rope for hauling; a horse's trace for draughting; or, any hard struggle (3) |
| TOW | A pull of a car, caravan, horse box etc; or, the hitch or rope used (3) |
| PIGTAIL | The curly caudal extremity of a porcine beast known as a grunter; a lock of hair bunched or plaited behind or at the side of the head; a twist of tobacco; a short length of cable or rope; or, the flam |
| THREAD | Filament of silk forming a spider's web; a strand of cotton; or, the helical ridge on a screw (6) |
| WIRE | A strand of metal; a snare made from this; filigree work; a piano string; or, an old word for a telephone (4) |
| TIE | Bind with string or rope (3) |
| HEMLOCK | Piece of a dress, a strand of hair and poison? (7) |
| COUNT | The act of numbering; the sum tallied; a measure of the fineness of yarn; or, a European title of nobility, equal in rank to a British earl (5) |
| SEESAW | Title of a strand of programmes for children that included King Rollo, Bagpuss and Bric-a-Brac origi |
| HAIR | A pilus likened to a strand of capellini pasta or figuratively split when one is over-refining minutiae (4) |
| ILEAT | T-shaped metal/wooden device for securing a line or rope on a boat or ship; a wedge-shaped block; or, a mechanism on the sole of a cyclist's shoe for clipping into a pedal (5) |
| CLEAT | T-shaped metal/wooden device for securing a line or rope on a boat or ship; a wedge-shaped block; or, a mechanism on the sole of a cyclist's shoe for clipping into a pedal |
| WISPISH | Resembling a strand of smoke |
| ASSERT | Claim a strand of hair twisted up |
| ALGEBRA | Badly garble a strand of maths (7) |
| KNOT | A tie in a cord, lace, ribbon or rope; a clump or cluster; a lump; a tangle; an intricate flower-bed; or, a rosette (4) |
| CLEW | Ball of yarn or thread as a guide out of a labyrinth or maze (4) |
