To Good Friends by Little Hare

Puzzle explanation

The letters moved in clues spelt out the third line of the epitaph on Shakespeare’s gravestone in the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford:

GOOD FREND FOR IESVS SAKE FORBEARE, TO DIGG THE DVST ENCLOASED HEARE. BLESTE BE YE MAN YT SPARES THES STONES, AND CVRST BE HE YT MOVES MY BONES.

The initial filled grid is shown here, with various bones flanking the central column. Ordering them from head to toe produced SHAKESPEARE in that column and the spiritual song Dem Dry Bones in column 13.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Moved letter Answer Explanation
Across
1   FOREMOST (M + OF ROSETTA − TA) *
8 (B)east → B-Ox CASE CEASE − E
11   CLOUD CHAMBERS AMBER in (SUCH COLD) *
12 drive(L) → B-L-ob STEAR TEAR after S(imon)
13   BESPOKEN OK in PEN after (BEDS − D)
14 Nob(E)l → Nobl-E EARL PEARL − P(rize)
15   HENPECKED HE + NECKED around P(int)
16   CONTESTED C + STONE * + DET <
19 awayday(S) → E-S-tonian AYES (awayd)AY ES(tonian)
20   REHEARSED (H + R(elatively) in EASE) in RED
23 for(T) → T-own LUND LEND with U(nusual) for E
26 F(E)ar → stat-E WAY 2 meanings
28   TIGHTISHLY ((H(yacint)H + L(azil)Y) around TIS) after TIG
30   BREAKNECK (KECK around (Stilto)N) after BREA(d)
33 (B)end → B-oozed USED USE + (ro)D
34 L(E)ave → b-E-at VELA LAVE *
35   PLETHORIC (O)P(a)L (s)E(n)T (T)H(e)O (f)R(u)I(t)C(a)K(e) − K
37 to(Y) → Y-ear ONES ON + YES − Y
38   PALANKEEN PEN around ((co)AL + ANKE(rite))
39   DELEGATE (MEN GET LED AWAY) * = (WYMAN + DELEGATE) *
40 Run(E) → h-E-ad CORSO C(orrespond) + OR SO
Down
2 (M)odal → po-M-p ESTATE E + STATE
3 Her(A) → A-bout SHERD SAD with HER for A
4 li(N)e → N-ought FOALS O in FALS(e)
5 (Y)ou → the-Y OURN OU + RAN − A
6 S(T)eamy → Ben-T RAPHES R + SHAPE *
7 Finder(S) → bu-S-t SEEKER KEEPERS * − P
8 de(P)rivation → s-P-un CREDAL DER < in CAL
9 (A)live → A-BC ABSEY (BE around S) after A + Y
10 Range(R)’s → office-R SCOPE COP in SE
17 t(E)en → S-E-ize NET TEN <
18 (S)hot → cheer-S TAHA TA + (A + H) <
21 (T)earful → eagle-T EYELET E(lderl)Y E(arfu)L E(agle)T
22 c(H)asing → t-H-rust DICING DIG around (C + IN)
24 L(E)ak → Lak-E ULSTER L in US + (jes)TER
25 sin(S) → daughter-S NIECES SIN < around (E + CE)
27 (S)and → S-topped ARENA AREA around (a)N(d)
28 cha(T)s → T-Aunt TEASE homophone of TEAS
29 Port(O) → lass-O HULLO HULL + (lass)O
31 Hi(N)t → ma-N BOP BO + P
32 ach(E) → E-ach KEA EA after (bea)K
36 (S)have → S-Pain HAE (E + À) < after (Hamis)H
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