Acrostic by Arsinoë

The letters from the clue answers are transferred to their correspondingly numbered spaces in the grid, and vice versa, ultimately revealing a (slightly edited) quotation from a published work. The initial letters of the clue answers will reveal the author and the title of the work which supplied the quotation. For convenience in printing, PDF versions (US Letter, A4) are available.Solution and notes are now available.

A Denigrates halfhearted gatherings at the church in the fens ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

128 166 64 245 186 220 14 155 89 5
B Preceding a margin of victory ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

15 140 156 184 247
C King Henry's yeoman kept time by the queen's cadence ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

227 85 58 21 243 112
D Luxuriated like a king in retirement ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

57 47 160 179 24 135
E Faraway from here, but didn't care? Just the opposite! ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

198 167 9 103 42 153 114 35 205 70 232 181
F Testimonial that usually can't be checked out ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

170 72 202 49 3 180 78 138 33
G A quiet German cardinal met the French missionary ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

213 176 168 36 84 231 29
H Pasted spread around ultimately with a sign of irritation ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

100 120 233 210 73 88 248 223
I Like a vestal virgin, entirely beyond comprehension? ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

147 53 221 188 61 124 133 228 158 98
J Small function integrating productive factors ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

104 193 43 94 163 204 54 141 113 130 63 122
K Variety of English rustic breakfast? ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

235 162 18 187 69 224 118 56 206 131
L Number one animated devil: it initially retreats behind the worldly apparition ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

218 246 194 17 211 65 172 38 8 109 152 79 129 26 50
M A financial official has antique coins, primarily silver and gold ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

95 74 82 169 48 242 143 151
N Headlines follow the jazz festival in southeastern Virginia (2 words) ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

81 110 144 28 225 12 68 137 150 234 45
O Set aside a utensil not quite at maximum capacity ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

164 219 115 97 55 142 191 105 123 71 41 11 23
P A scientifically trained snake charmer? ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

34 244 216 199 116 148 90 7 76 66 108 44 252
Q Avoids flights when King Kong is cut ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

139 185 157 174 83 209 241
R Sedative obliterated the initially brutal labor pain ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

183 60 217 107 136 10 37 197 146 96 87 127 1
S Element restricted by a fellow ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

16 236 215 101 125
T Eccentric manner isn't rehearsed ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

159 25 119 165 86 145 208
U Like a sheep set rolling round university in America ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

229 19 40 237 173 77 126 192 249 182 59
V The least sensible feasted riotously? ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

212 189 238 250 93 75 22
W Service almost controlled by a cartel perhaps in southern India ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

154 102 20 178 67 251 134 195 31 39 230 13
X Perpendicular bit on a line primarily describing a motorcycle ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

30 117 132 200 226 106 2 91 52 149
Y Lincoln once hit back at mysterious contrivance ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

171 51 177 196 239 6 32 222 80 62 121 207
Z Gave directions to a party couple ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

161 214 190 201 46 175 4
a Hideously stretched and prepared to be broken ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

27 111 92 203 240 99