| CALIBRATED | College's leading character, a politician thought highly of, graduated (10) |
| PROTAGONIST | Leading character, a sort opting for reform (11) |
| UPSTARTS | At college, leading lights have little time for social climbers (8) |
| ALIBABA | Fabled character - a politician and a graduate (3,4) |
| RATED | Thought highly of royal, a man (5) |
| SERRATED | Like a saw, small, the queen thought highly of (8) |
| CHIMPANZEE | Note that fellow criticise US character, a close relative (10) |
| REVERED | Thought highly of, but always dipping into wine (7) |
| LACERATED | Torn cloth thought highly of (9) |
| ADMIRED | Thought highly of Admiral replacing Al with Ed (7) |
| CASTRATED | Cut actors thought highly of (9) |
| GRATED | Ground is good, thought highly of (6) |
| RESPECTED | Thought highly of the way Crete sped to it (9) |
| PIRATED | Piano one thought highly of is illegally reproduced (7) |
| TREASURED | In trade arrangement it's certain to be thought highly of (9) |
| PANPIPES | A number of reeds or whistles of graduated lengths, bound together to form a musical instrument (8) |
| KOOKABURRA | American character, a hard worker claiming (wrongly) I'm louder, turns straight round (10,4,2,3,3,3, |
| SIZE | One of a series of graduated measurements for clothing (4) |
| STEPSISTER | Second examiner welcomes Greek character, a family member |
| DONQUIXOTE | Cervantes character, a naive visionary (3,7) |
