| AMIS | Kingsley -; author of some 20 novels including Lucky Jim (4) |
| CHAI | Contents of some 20-Across |
| MAUGHAM | Orphaned at a young age, the author of 20 novels including Cakes and Ale and semi-autobiographical work Of Human Bondage (7) |
| DRABBLE | Author of 20 novels including A Summer Bird-Cage, The Peppered Moth and The Pure Gold Baby (7) |
| WOOD | Mrs Henry -; pen name of Ellen Price, author of some 30 novels including the Victorian bestseller East Lynne, Danesbury House and The Channings (4) |
| ZOLA | Emile -; French author of the cycle of 20 novels collectively entitled Les Rougon-Macquart (4) |
| NAVY | Service some twenty vans needing to be overhauled (4) |
| TYPE | Some twenty per cent work in the office (4) |
| ANON | "Author" of some poems: abbr. |
| OGEE | Some twenty-two geese in an S-shaped formation |
| EMILEZOLA | French writer of the series of 20 novels Les Rougon-Macquart (5,4) |
| BALLANTYNE | Author of some 100 adventure novels including The Coral Island, a book said to have inspired Robert Louis Stevenson and J. M. Barrie (10) |
| STEVENSON | Author of some 50 novels including Miss Buncle's Book, The English Air, Vittoria Cottage and Amberwell whose father's cousin wrote Treasure Island (9) |
| HARRIS | Author of some 16 novels including the Cicero Trilogy and his recent title, Precipice, which is based on the love affair/letters between the former PM H H Asquith and Venetia Stanley (6) |
| PAMAYRES | Author of Some of Me Poems |
| AESOP | Author of some 725 fables including The Tortoise and the Hare (5) |
| BERRY | Author of some 70 books including The Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook ; a former Great British Bake Off judge who presented Country House Secrets (5) |
| ANGELL | Sir Norman -; author of some 50 books including The Great Illusion whose work was recognised with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1933 (6) |
| MABEY | Author of some 30 books including Food for Free and Nature Cure who also wrote and narrated Postcards from the Country (5) |
| COOKSON | Author of some 100 books including The Cinder Path and those in the Tilly Trotter trilogy (7) |
