| KNIFEEDGE | Charge packed into keg in front of Dail, possibly causing such a critical situation |
| ISLAND | North-south Dail, possibly? Geo politically, isn't it what we live on? (6) |
| BARREL | A cask made by a cooper; a similar keg in miniature whose customary suspension from a St Bernard's collar is attributed to a painting by Sir Edwin Landseer; or, a horse's belly (6) |
| TIC | Sign of nerves in a critical situation |
| BREAKINGPOINT | Ego-trip in bank sadly creates a critical situation (8,5) |
| DANGERSIGNAL | Warning shot aimed at those who are in a critical situation (6,6) |
| CROSSROADS | What jokey chickens do in a critical situation? |
| DRAMA | Take a wee drink before a critical situation |
| CLUTCH | Successful in a critical situation |
| THECHIPSAREDOWN | French fries costing less? It's a critical situation (3,5,3,4) |
| RAZOREDGE | Special grade having zero variation for a critical situation (5,4) |
| TAD | A little member of Dail Eireann hosts American (3) |
| DUBLIN | Leaders of Dail use building like home - that's capital |
| TOUCHANDGO | A critical situation (5,3,2) |
| DOORDIE | Like a critical situation |
| INTAKE | Amount swallowed a pint, a keg in part |
| GRIMALDI | Royal family forbidding reform of Dail (8) |
| DIRTIER | Fouler Irish row led by leader of Dail (7) |
| HOLYROMANEMPIRE | Saintly type, member of Dail, one with tiny electorate |
| PORTMANTEAU | Leather travel bag opening into two equal parts; or, from the idea of two meanings packed into one word, Lewis Carroll's term for a "blend" (11) |
