| SLOE | Fruit of the blackthorn, said to be at peak ripeness after the first frost (4) |
| PEAR | Check the neck of this fruit to judge its ripeness |
| ACME | At peak of Mecca, Conservative leaves confused (4) |
| LIAM | Emmerdale medic at peak of a love triangle (4,8) |
| ATOP | Queue's said to follow this series at peaks (4) |
| PARSNIP | Traditionally said to be best after the first frost, a root vegetable used for savoury rsti, game chips, sweet cakes or warm salads with puy lentils/walnuts (7) |
| AGES | Gets closer and closer to ripeness |
| ODOR | Sign of ripeness, perhaps |
| DAHLIAS | Lift tubers of these garden favourites after the first frost (7) |
| APEX | Strange, unknown primate at peak |
| RAPT | At peak attentiveness |
| FROZEN | The first frost, about zero before the end of autumn, will make it icy (6) |
| POT | Container that's said to be at the end of a rainbow |
| PRINCIPLE | As a general rule, said to be at the top (9) |
| FORFREE | Number said to be at liberty having given without desire for payment (3,4) |
| OLD | Berry shady: Ever demanding, the elderberry told the other berries that he should be highly revered because he was ___ (even though he had only reached the age of ripeness just a few days ago) |
| KERNEL | Military figure said to be at the centre (6) |
| AMISTAD | This salvia bears deep purple blooms until the first frosts (7) |
| SYNODS | Bodies said to be at odds with what's evil (6) |
| INN | Hostelry where one is always said to be at home (3) |
