| SWOLLENHEADED | Well done Shed, a cryptic puffed up! (7-6) |
| SWOLLEN | All puffed up! (7) |
| ALLBETSAREOFF | "We're don't know where things are headed," and a cryptic literal hint to this puzzle's theme |
| HOTAIRBALLOON | Flier, puffed up thing full of boastful talk? |
| SELFSATISFIED | Puffed up |
| TEASER | A prankster, ribber, tantaliser or taunter; a brain-twister, mind-bender, poser, puzzle or other riddle; a jaeger; a cryptic advertisement designed to entice or titillate; or, a wool-comber (6) |
| SIGNPOST | A pole or stake from which to hang an inn's name board; an "indicator" in a cryptic crossword; a roadside waymark; or, a clue (8) |
| TIMEANDAGAIN | Repeatedly, or if read a different way, a cryptic way of signaling a letter bank for the other theme answers |
| HUNDREDLINES | Schoolchild's punishment, devising a cryptic clue for 'crows'? (7,5) |
| STRAIGHTANSWER | Surprisingly open response to a cryptic clue, perhaps (8,6) |
| NIGHTJAR | A nocturnal bird with a cryptic plumage and large eyes (8) |
| EASIEST | See, it's a cryptic that's most simple (7) |
| NOVELIST | In a cryptic sense, it's a pen (8) |
| AGATHACHRISTIE | Writer of clues, each straight: a cryptic suffocating yours truly (6,8) |
| IMMACULATE | One masters a cryptic clue, catching a bit of trickery that's neat |
| ENCODE | Put into a cryptic form (6) |
| THEFOURTHOFJULY | A cryptic clue for the Y in 'Independence Day' (3,6,2,4) |
| SPOONER | Sooner take in first prize by provider of many a cryptic clue (7) |
| MADECHANGES | Altered a cryptic clue for "Edam" (4,7) |
| SPHINK | The Riddle of the -; episode of Inside No. 9 based on a cryptic crossword (6) |
