Abecedarian Jigsaw

a cryptic puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Puzzle
Explanation only + Answers + Grid entries
Solution grid

Across

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