| SHELLY | It's like a carapace maybe, the poet said |
| DECODE | Work out at the end of the year what the poet said (6) |
| CALLIOPE | "Summon and I grant access!" as the poet said to his muse (8) |
| SHELL | Exoskeleton of a snail; or, part of tortoise consisting of a carapace, plastron and bridge (5) |
| TURTLE | Animal with a carapace |
| CRAB | Crustacean with a carapace |
| SHELLFISH | Sea creature with a carapace (9) |
| CRUSTACEAN | Arthropod with a carapace (10) |
| COQUILLE | French for "shell", hence seafood served in a scallop's fluted fan-like carapace; a dish or pastry case shaped like said shuck; or, a pat of butter (8) |
| OGDENNASH | Which American poet said "A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of"? (5,4) |
| KEATS | Commemorated in Shelley's Adonais, poet said to have written Ode to a Nightingale from under a plum tree in his garden (5) |
| TAIL | Fun fact from Down Under: Scientists say it's like a "third leg": When a kangaroo isn't hopping, it walks by putting its arms on the ground, its hind legs in front pushing down with its ___ to propel |
| SHIELD | An aspis, buckler, heater or targe; an escutcheon or trophy shaped like the third example; a French ecu; or, something serving to protect, such as a chelonian's carapace (6) |
| OVERGRAZE | What sheep and cows may do no more, a poet's said (9) |
| DONNE | Poet said to have finished (5) |
| DONE | Poet said to be accomplished |
| TENNYSON | Poet said, "Game on!" |
| BARD | Poet said to be denied entry (4) |
| ADIPOSE | Some poet said - Too fatty! (7) |
| TORTOISE | One of a "creep" of chelonian land reptiles with a beak, carapace and elephant-like legs, such as Charles Darwin's galapago, "Harriet" (8) |
