Shakedown

a cryptic puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

PROCRUSTEAN RACONTEURS COURTESAN ETRUSCAN CENTAUR CURATE TRUCE ECRU CUE

Across

  • 1.
    SPECTER: S + PE(C)TER
  • 5.
    CLIENT: C(LI)ENT
  • 10.
    ARCHER: ARCHER (double def.)
  • 11.
    POINTER: PO + INTER
  • 12.
    FORAGER: FOR + AGER
  • 13.
    RUG RAT: RUG RAT ("tar gur" rev.)
  • 15.
    CANTS: CAN(T)S
  • 18.
    ISLE: IS + L + E
  • 20.
    CARTOUCHE: CARTOUCHE ("to Chaucer" anag.)
  • 23.
    ONCE: cOnNeCtEd
  • 24.
    SPENT: S(PEN)T
  • 26.
    TERROR: T + ERROR
  • 28.
    TRILATERAL: TRI(LATER)AL
  • 32.
    AUTOMAT: AU(TO)MAT
  • 33.
    TEST RUN: staTES + TRUNcated
  • 34.
    ESTHER: EST + HER
  • 35.
    SEANCES: SEANCES ("as scene" anag.)

Down

  • 1.
    SAFER: SAFER ("fares" anag.)
  • 2.
    PROFUSION: PROFUSION ("in soup for" anag.)
  • 3.
    CHARRED: CHARRED ("chard" homophone)
  • 4.
    ERECT: ERE + CT
  • 5.
    COGNATE: CO(GNAT)E
  • 6.
    LIST: LIST (double def.)
  • 7.
    INLET: INLET ("intel" anag.)
  • 8.
    NEAR: N + EAR
  • 9.
    TRUSSED: TRUSSED ("trust" homophone)
  • 14.
    ACUTE: AC + UTE
  • 16.
    NO ONE: NOON + E
  • 17.
    CHOCOLATE: CHOCOLATE ("a cloche to" anag.)
  • 19.
    LOUSIEST: LOUd + SIESTa
  • 21.
    ACETATE: ACE + TATE
  • 22.
    FORLORN: FORLO + RN ("floor" anag.)
  • 25.
    PLATH: P(L)ATH
  • 27.
    RITES: RITES ("rights" homophone)
  • 29.
    RYES: dRy + YES
  • 30.
    ACRE: A(C)RE
  • 31.
    IMAC: anticliMACtic