| SWAIN | Poetic word for a male lover or suitor |
| AMOROSO | Italian, Latin or Spanish word for "loving", hence for music to be played tenderly; a male lover or ladies' man; or, lovingly aged dark sweet sherry (7) |
| ROMEO | Moore sculpture of a male lover (5) |
| PARAMOUR | Terrible uproar involving a male lover (8) |
| PENNON | From the Latin for "feather", a flag, such as a medieval knight's personal ensign or a streamer attached to a lance; or, a poetic word for a wing (6) |
| SWAINS | Male lovers or admirers (6) |
| BARK | A word for the abrupt cry of a dog; the tannin-rich covering of a tree trunk; a poetic word for a boat; or, fruit-and-nut-topped chocolate broken into jagged pieces |
| CHORD | Harmonic set of three or more notes sounded simultaneously; or, a literary or poetic word for a string of a harp or other instrument (5) |
| SUMMER | A time of blossoming or happiness; a poetic word for a year; one of the four seasons; or, from the Old French meaning "packhorse", a large beam or lintel (6) |
| KING | Word for a male monarch or for a person or animal considered pre-eminent within their group (4) |
| ZEPHYR | Poetic word for a gentle breeze or west wind, also used to describe a competitive rower's jersey or a fine cotton gingham for shirts (6) |
| STRAND | Any one of the typically six cotton or silk filaments twisted to form thread for embroidery; or, a poetic word for a beach or shore (6) |
| VERMEIL | French term for silver-gilt or gilt bronze used for candelabra, jewellery, medals, tableware etc; or, a poetic word for a scarlet-red pigment, also known as cinnabar (7) |
| KEEL | Part of a ship represented in the constellation Carina; a poetic word for a boat; or, a prow-shaped pair of petals of a papilionaceous plant (4) |
| HOLT | A riverbank burrow or den of an otter; or, an old or poetic word for a copse, orchard or wooded hill (4) |
| ORE | Rock from which a valuable metal or mineral, such as diamond or gold, can be extracted profitably; or, a poetic word for a precious metal (3) |
| AZURE | From Persian for "lapis lazuli", a cerulean-like colour; heraldic blue; or, a poetic word for a clear sky (5) |
| TIDE | The sea's cyclic ebb and flow; an old or poetic word for a fair, festival or season; or, a turning point (4) |
| BOOKMAN | Word for a male bibliophile, bibliopole, scholar or student (7) |
| DAMSEL | Based on domina, "mistress", an old or poetic word for a maiden, source of a title referring to a French "Miss" (6) |
