| MORDANT | Sharp or critical (wit) |
| RETORT | A quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one). |
| MASS | Word with high or critical |
| CONDITIONS | They may be serious or critical |
| URGENT | Requires immediate or critical attention (6) |
| TOUCHANDGO | Risky or critical (5,3,2) |
| HATER | Negative or critical person (5) |
| ACUTE | A laceration in A&E can become dangerous or critical (5) |
| POTSHOT | Backing for leading photograph or critical remark? (3,4) |
| REJOIN | To say something in reply, typically in a quick or critical manner (6) |
| ADDERS | People who openly express their negative or critical thoughts (6) |
| EXEGESIS | Explanation or critical interpretation of a text, especially the Bible (8) |
| VINEGAR | Based on the Latin for "wine" and "sour", sharp- or tart-tasting acidic "acetum" or "eisel" used as a condiment or pickling medium; or, by extension, bitterness or sourness of countenance, speech or t |
| POIGNANT | Word meaning pricking or stinging originally, later sharp or keen; piquant or pungent; painful; or, emotionally moving or pathos-inducing (8) |
| TART | Pie with sweet or fruit filling / sharp or acid in taste |
| YELP | A sharp or high-pitched cry or bark (4) |
| ACERBIC | Sour in taste; sharp or forthright in speech or comments |
| ROOK | A card-sharp or cheat; a crow-like cawing corvid; or, a castle in chess (4) |
| ACID | A culinary term for a sharp- or sour-tasting ingredient, such as lemon/lime juice, vinegar or wine (4) |
| SCRUPLES | Word for small rough sharp or irritating stones that came to mean niggling doubts, painful qualms or uncomfortable moral misgivings (8) |
