The Telegraph Cryptic Connections Puzzle

[Matakari]

Some help for this cryptic with parsing if possible, please! Thanks in advance!
In a Cryptic Connections puzzle, five cryptic crossword clues must be solved; their answers can be made from the list of letters given underneath. Once all the clues have been solved, some letters will be unused.

Finish record with hot and trendy swimmer (7)
A bright bunch of chaps before sex (5)
Parisian’s very revolutionary, taking on writer that crawls? (7)
Alec, cycling on board, balances (6)
Shorten select Poe works (9)

A A A C C C D E E E E E E E E H I I L L L L L M N N N N N O O O O P P P R S S S S S S T T T T

[mallyh]

1 dolphin

[emeritus]

Last one

Telescope

[mallyh]

2 mensa?

[Toorak]

4 scales - anagram of Alec inside ss (ship)

[Toorak]

3 serpent

Tres (Parisian ‘very’ ) reversed around pen (writer)

[mallyh]

letters left constellation ?

[Toorak]

Yes - I get constellation too

[klazomaniac]

Matahari. This was only emailed out yesterday. And all five questions and link theme. 'Really !'
I'm glad I had completed and submitted yesterday. Others might not have even started it yet.

[Calibax]

Connection = Constellations

[Matakari]

Many thanks to Mallyh, Emeritus and Toorak for your comprehensive answers and parsing! Have a great day!