The term 'assumed appearances' can be summarized as the act of disguising oneself in order to appear differently than one's true identity. This is often done for a variety of reasons, such as to hide from an enemy or to gain access to a restricted area. The term can also be used to refer to the use of costumes and makeup to create a different persona. In this context, the crossword solution 'guises' refers to the various disguises that someone may take on in order to appear differently.