| ESSAY | Word originally meaning trial, test or attempt (5) |
| BERTH | Word originally meaning "sea room" or space to manoeuvre, later a ship's allotted spot at a wharf; or, a sailor's bunk (5) |
| QUOTE | Word originally meaning to mark a book with chapter numbers or references, later to cite a person/text; or, enclose within inverted commas (5) |
| LURID | From the Latin for "a wan or yellow colour", word originally meaning pale and dismal, but now unpleasantly bright in colour, garish, loud or vivid (5) |
| TREAT | Word originally meaning "negotiate" and "discuss a subject", later a source of gratification such as a pleasure excursion, something choice to eat or entertainment for a guest (5) |
| ROAST | Word originally meaning to cook before an open fire, later to cook (meat or vegetables) in an oven (5) |
| SMEAR | To stain or attempt to destroy someone's reputation (5) |
| TRIES | Gives one a hearing, or attempts to (5) |
| LIMN | From "cast light on", word originally meaning "illuminate a manuscript with ornamental letters", later "draw or paint in watercolours", "suffuse or highlight" or "describe in painting or words" (4) |
| PILOT | Test or trial (project or programme) (5) |
| SLIPSHOD | Word originally meaning 'wearing loose shoes', now meaning careless or slapdash (8) |
| PROOF | A test or trial; a standard strength of alcoholic spirits; factual evidence; or, a preliminary impression of a page for review by a copy-editor (5) |
| ETUDE | Composition or "study" intended to test or improve a player's technique or virtuosity (5) |
| GENIUS | Word originally meaning "divinity, guardian spirit" or "talent, wit", later a person of consummate intellect or of exceptional creative power (6) |
| HANDSOME | Word originally meaning easy to use, later good-looking or striking (8) |
| MOTOR | Test or the object thereof (5) |
| TRIAL | Test or make experimental use of (5) |
| TASTE | Word before "test" or "buds" |
| RECORD | From the Latin for "heart", a word originally meaning "call to mind, learn by heart", later any chronicle, log, memorandum or register (6) |
| EXAMS | Tests or examinations in brief (5) |
