| RITADOVE | 1990s U.S. poet laureate whose most recent collection is 2021's "Playlist for the Apocalypse" |
| MONA | ___ Van Duyn, 1990s U.S. poet laureate |
| PREPPER | One ready for the apocalypse |
| SURVIVALIST | Person planning for the apocalypse |
| LALAS | 1990's U.S. soccer star Alexi |
| CLARISSA | _ Explains It All, 1990s U.S. teen sitcom (8) |
| TENNYSON | Alfred, Lord ___, Poet Laureate whose works include The Charge of the Light Brigade and Crossing the Bar |
| SOUTHEY | Robert, British poet laureate whose works include the ballad The Inchcape Rock (7) |
| STEPS | British pop group whose most recent studio album is 2021's What the Future Holds Pt. 2 (5) |
| JOHNMASEFIELD | British Poet Laureate whose 37-year tenure (1930-1967) is second only to the 42 of Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1850-1892) (4,9) |
| EPAULETTE | Shoulder decoration for poets laureate whose work fails to soar (9) |
| ATLAST | In the final analysis, the map collection is near the end of the list (2,4) |
| THEPAWOFHISDECEASEDCAT | The handle of Charles Dickens's ivory letter opener, in the Library's collection, is ___ |
| SIA | Australian singer whose most recent album is 2021's Music |
| RITA | Dove, who became the first African American U.S. Poet Laureate |
| HUSH | "Into the ___" (book by Arthur Sze, who was named U.S. Poet Laureate in September, 2025) |
| MASEFIELD | Poet laureate whose nautical verse includes Cargoes |
| APPLETON | Sir Edward Victor -; Nobel laureate whose name was given to the F region of the ionosphere (8) |
| MANIFESTS | Shows the finest collection is in the master's keeping (9) |
| DIANAROSS | US singer whose twenty-fifth studio album is 2021's UK No. 7 Thank You (5,4) |
