| EURYDICE | Wood nymph who married the poet and musician Orpheus in Greek mythology (8) |
| LYRIST | Greek mythology musician Orpheus, for one, who is skilled with words |
| CALLIOPE | Muse of epic poetry in Greek mythology, whose children include the poet and lyrist Orpheus (8) |
| ESSAYIST | Turns out the little sister of the poet and painter here wrote many academic pieces. (8) |
| OPERETTA | How would poet rate a work such as Orpheus in the Underworld? (8) |
| STRUTHER | Pen name of the poet and novelist famous for Mrs Miniver (3,8) |
| MERCOURI | Melina, Greek actress and politician who married the film director Jules Dassin in 1966 (8) |
| ARETHUSA | Is and is like this a wood nymph that became a fountain (8) |
| PAKENHAM | Kitty, Duchess of Wellington who married the 1st Duke in Dublin in 1806 (8) |
| LYRE | Instrument played by the Thracian musician and singer Orpheus in Greek mythology (4) |
| DIMAGGIO | Joe, US baseball player who married the actress Marilyn Monroe in 1954 (8) |
| BANCROFT | Anne, actress who married the comedian Mel Brooks in 1964 (8) |
| OPERATTA | "Orpheus in the Underworld," for one |
| NICOLSON | Harold, English historian who married the author Vita SackvilleWest (8) |
| ATALANTA | Mythological huntress who married the winner of a footrace |
| ORPHEUS | Poet and musician in Greek mythology who descended to the underworld to seek his wife Eurydice after |
| MARYTODD | Woman who married the 16th president |
| OPERATE | It's the era of the poet and what they do in the theatre (7) |
| ELIOT | Surname of the poet and critic famous for Murder In The Cathedral, The Cocktail Party, etc. (5) |
| CARROLL | Jim ?, poet and musician who authored 1978 memoir The Basketball Diaries |
