| PASHA | _ _ _ _ _ Kovalev, Russian professional dancer formerly on Strictly, married to Countdown's Rachel Riley (5) |
| KOVALEV | Pasha - - -, former Strictly Come Dancing pro married to Countdown regular Rachel Riley (7) |
| KATYAJONES | Russian professional dancer who partnered Joe McFadden, Strictly series winner in 2017 (5,5) |
| RILEY | Mathematician and co-presenter on C4 quiz Countdown, Rachel (5) |
| ANNA | Retired Russian professional tennis player, _ Kournikova (4) |
| COLE | Brendan, New Zealand ballroom dancer formerly on Strictly (4) |
| COUNTDOWN | Brainy quiz on Channel 4 with Rachel Riley (9) |
| RACHEL | ___ Riley, Countdown host whose Valentine is dancer Pasha Kovalev (pictured left and right) (6) |
| ESSEX | "When you tell people that you are studying maths at uni, they are like, 'Oh ...'. Especially a blonde ____ girl" (Rachel Riley) |
| JONSEDA | "Chicago P.D." actor formerly on "Homicide: Life on the Street" |
| PHILATELIST | Who has inclination to follow what's formerly on letter? (11) |
| EXTROVERT | Man's racing to catch dog formerly on lead - such a character |
| DISPATCHRIDER | A carrier of messages formerly on horseback and now primarily on motorcycles (8,5) |
| ALEXEI | Russian NHLer Kovalev |
| BRIDE | Series formerly on BBC3, Don't Tell the ___ (5) |
| ENACTED | Was formerly on the stage, but was forced out (7) |
| FAX | Type of phone number that was formerly on many business cards |
| LENINGRAD | City formerly on a slope without a hole-free road (9) |
| ARE | ___ You the One? (reality dating show formerly on MTV) |
| DIPPY | Replica dinosaur skeleton formerly on display in London's Natural History Museum (5) |
