Well and truly stuck. Please can I have a wee help along?
1d Characters that are inclined to be distinctive (7) -t---c-
10a This by itself is only a gradual process (6) ----l-
4a Needle without an eye (7) -b-l---
22a A bird to fight and squabble (7) ---r---
24a Where to obtain a degree in common talk (7) ---s---