Parentheses around a letter mean that it must be omitted before the word will fit in the grid. Mystery words are in italics, an asterisk * indicates a proper name, and a bullet · an acronym. The omitted letters spell:

APRIL IS THE CRUELEST MONTH.

Across

1. INTERNAL
2. (T) ANAGER
3. BRASSY
4. CRUS (H)
5. ERASED
6. STR (E) AM
7. *AIDA
8. TEA
9. FINE
10. (C) UBE
11. TAM
12. *MIDAS
13. REVENUE
14. (R) EGGAE
15. SONAR
16. IDEM
17. PRATE
18. PENIS
19. SORCERESS
20. SAT (U) RATE
21. H (E) ALTH
22. MOTT (L) E
23. SERVICE

Down

1. IGUANA
2. G (E) MSTONES
3. MESA
4. PORT
5. TREA (S) URER
6. RATE
7. BRIBE
8. SAC
9. TERRA
10. DEVOTEES
11. · NASA
12. TENE (T)
13. RHEA
14. *S (M) ETANA
15. PEARLS
16. DEMURE
17. *S (O) LVAY
18. SAME
19. INSTINCT
20. FIE (N) DISH
21. CAR (T) RIDGE
22. S (H) AME