Possible Clues:

• Very nearly a fish if I 'ad replaced plate
• To be a neighbour is about fifty-fifty - or forty-nine forty-nine?
• 'Just short of (3,3)'
• Nearly everyone gets the boat back
• Everyone except
• Except
• Liberals kept in touch? Not quite
• As good as gold, with time securing degree in law
• Almost everything's built without it in France
• Practically everyone, contrary to expectation