| NONCOMMITTAL | Giving nothing away about the failure to lock up? |
| TONICADEBAMBARA | Author who wrote, "The dream is real, my friends. The failure to make it work is the unreality," in "The Salt Eaters" |
| MISER | One gives nothing away about computer game returns |
| ESCAPADE | To get away about the present time is a risky venture (8) |
| ALEVELS | Gets confused right away about the French exams |
| APRIL | The month in which the BBC's Panorama broadcast its classic piece on the failure of the spaghetti ha |
| LUNAR | Sprinted back up to lock-up initially, due to moon (5) |
| APLASIA | In medicine, the failure of an organ or tissue to develop or to function normally (7) |
| UNDERSCORE | Emphasise the failure of footballers to reach their potential (10) |
| BONFIRENIGHT | Holiday that celebrates the failure of a 1605 plot against the British Parliament |
| MISCARRIAGE | In shipping, the failure of freight to reach its destination (11) |
| CLOSETOTHECHEST | About to secure strongbox, where one may 8, giving nothing away (5,2,3,5) |
| SPOILERFREE | Giving nothing away (In this answer, note the first 2: letters + the last 3) |
| POKERFACED | Was opposed to one being inquisitive, so giving nothing away |
| INEXPRESSIVE | Riding train, the setter's giving nothing away |
| DEADPAN | Late to criticise, giving nothing away (7) |
| MEAN | The false name giving nothing away (4) |
| MINDSET | Has an attitude to lock-up the cups and saucers (7) |
| CAGE | About time to lock up (4) |
| POLITICALASYLUM | It might be useful to lock up the cabinet ... (9,6) |
