Abecedarian Jigsaw

a cryptic puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Solution grid

Across

  • ANAPEST: AN-A-PEST
  • ANTEDATE: ANTEDATE ("Dante" "headless" and "heartless"
  • BULLETS: BUL-LETS
  • CIRCA: C-I-RCA
  • DOMINOS: DOMINOS (anag.)
  • EXCISE: EX(er)CISE
  • FACING: FACING (double dev.)
  • GUSSET: GUSSET (anag.)
  • HUDDLE: HUD-DLE ("led" anag.)
  • IMITATE: "I'M IT"-ATE
  • INLETS: INLETS (anag.)
  • INNER: (s)INNER
  • JENA: JENA (anag.)
  • JETTY: JETTY (pun)
  • KLEE: KLEE(nex)
  • LIGNITE: L-IGNITE
  • MEASURE: ME(A)SURE (anag. + a)
  • MOTTO: MO(TT)O
  • NEVADA: NEVADA ("ave" rev. in "and" anag.)
  • NORTH: NORTH (anag.)
  • NUTSHELL: NUTS-HELL
  • ODES: ODES (hidden)
  • OMELETTE: OMELETTE (hidden)
  • PEARL: PEARL (double def.)
  • PLACE: PLACE (double def.)
  • QUAIL: QUAIL (double def.)
  • REEL: REEL (double def.)
  • SEMI: SEMI(tic)
  • SPECTER: S(P)ECTER ("re" rev.)
  • STEM: STEM (hidden)
  • STUNT: STUNT (double def.)
  • TOPICS: TOPICS (anag.)
  • TREPAN: TREPAN (anag.)
  • UNRIPE: UNR(I)PE (anag. + i)
  • VARNISH: V+ARNISH (anag. + v)
  • WIDTH: WI-DTH
  • XENON: XENON ("none" rev.)
  • YACHT: YACHT ("th[e]cay" rev)
  • ZODIAC: ZODIAC ("ca-i-doz" rev.)
  • ZWIEBACK: ZWIE-BACK ("zwei" with "ie" rev.)