| MADLING | I must be beginning to despair in sending old fruitcake |
| SUNDOWNER | Australian tramp beginning to despair in grip of Rupert Murdoch? (9) |
| MOOD | Low, beginning to despair, in such a state |
| STUMBLINGBLOCK | Impediment must be beginning to upset Lancashire's opener, batting with good defensive action |
| DRACO | Harsh legislator sending old humorist to Heaven? (5) |
| LONGWINDEDNESS | Sending old news out that shows verbosity (4-10) |
| PASSE | Bit of a faux pas, sending old hat (5) |
| NAILBITER | Catch champ close to despair in tense affair |
| CRADLE | Nurse, close to despair in scoundrel's grip, fled unclothed |
| HAIRDO | Bob may be beginning to rattle or roll in Idaho settlement |
| RINGABELL | Call girl's bottom must now be beginning to sound familiar (4,1,4) |
| MADAMETUSSAUD | Museum founder sad at a museum folding, beginning to despair (6,7) |
| DEPEND | Count of French prison beginning to despair (6) |
| LOPSIDED | Unbalanced team after cut beginning to despair (8) |
| ADORE | Are nurses beginning to despair over love? |
| TABLEOFCONTENTS | A new bottle of scent could be beginning to work (5,2,8) |
| PSALMIST | David may be beginning to shake when held by fortune-teller |
| IRONMAIDEN | Press and media may be beginning to notice rock band (4,6) |
| OVERSIGHT | It may be a mistake to express despair in public (9) |
| EMAILING | Lie in mag is wrong in sending out the message (8) |
