Post Mortem

a cryptic puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Asterisked clues sent a letter to the Dead Letter Office.

Across

  • 1.
    CABALA: CAB-ALA
  • 5.
    STEPPE: S(al)T-(p)EPPE(r)
  • 9.
    DRUGGIST: *D(RUG)-GIST
  • 10.
    EXCEL: E(X-C)EL
  • 12.
    GRAPHICALLY: *GRAPHICALLY (anag.)
  • 13.
    HEURISM: *HEURISM (anag.)
  • 14.
    SCATS: SCATS (double def.)
  • 17.
    FREES: *FREES (homophone)
  • 18.
    SIFT: SIFT (anag .)
  • 19.
    STREP: *STRE-P (anag. + p)
  • 21.
    BLUE: BLUE (homophone)
  • 24.
    BASIN: BASIN(g)
  • 26.
    GHERKIN: *G-HER-KIN
  • 28.
    CONTRALTOS: CONTRA(LT)OS ("cartoons" anag.)
  • 29.
    ROILED: *R(OlL)ED
  • 30.
    CELESTA: C(ELEST)A ("steel" anag.)
  • 31.
    CYPRUS: CYPRUS (anag.)
  • 32.
    CORSAIR: *CORSAIR (hidden rev.)

Down

  • 1.
    CART HORSE: *CARTHORSE (anag.)
  • 2.
    AUGUR: A-UGUR (anag. + a)
  • 3.
    AGAINST: *AGA(INS)T
  • 4.
    LIPS: (l)LIPS (rev.)
  • 5.
    STIR: STIR (hidden)
  • 6.
    EXACTS: EX-ACTS
  • 7.
    PEYOTE: *PEYOTE (anag.)
  • 8.
    ELLS: ELLS (anag.)
  • 11.
    CLAVICLE: *CLA(VIC)LE ("a cell" anag.)
  • 15.
    AEROSOL: A-EROS-OL
  • 16.
    STERNWARD: *STERN-WARD
  • 20.
    POINTER: *POINTER (double def.)
  • 21.
    BARTER: BAR(T)ER
  • 22.
    PACIFY: *PA(C-IF)Y
  • 23.
    VISTA: VISTA (anag.)
  • 24.
    BLOC: BLOC (hidden)
  • 25.
    ARCS: ARCS (anag.)
  • 27.
    HELLO: *HELL-0