Identity Crisis by Sabre

Puzzle explanation

Multiple letters in the clashing cells provided jumbles of the names of characters from Laurence Sterne’s Tristram Shandy: Uncle Toby, Widow Wadman, Yorick, Corporal Trim, Dr Slop, Tristram Shandy. These were replaced by the letters of STERNE to make new words. The quotation is “— as sure as I am I — and you are you — And who are you? said he. — Don’t puzzle me; said I.” The first part is in the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations with the reference Book 7, Chapter 33, enabling a simple search in Tristram Shandy for the conclusion.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

Coordinates Answer Explanation
Across
AS ARE YOU  
AN AS I AM I  
AA BUFFALO-NUT BUFFA + L + OUT around (garde)N
AA DOUBLY (D + LB + YOU) *
UA ESPY E + SPY
WE ESS (on)E’S S(olicitor)
AY NOTODONTIDAE (ODD NOTION TEA) *
SO PUNISHMENT (NUMPTIES + (rus)H + ’N’) *
AU RASPY (fo)R A SPY(master)
AN ROOTLIKE (LOOK + (Sab)R(e) + TIE) *
SH RO-RO OR < + OR <
AH ROTTEN (TENOR + T) *
AU SCANTS SCAN + T(win)S
EE SENE N(avy) in SEE
ND SPARRE SPARE around (disappea)R
NS SQUIT SQ + TIU <
AD STORM WINDOW (IN TWO WORDS) * around M(-roof)
AI UNFATHOMABLE (MEN ABOUT HALF) *
AD WESSI WEISS with (Aud)I moved
ND WITHSTANDING WITH + STAND-IN + G
Down
AS ABUSED A + BUD around SE
RD ADWARES A + (SAW RED) *
WI BITE BI + T(rial) + E
SA CENTOIST SECTION * + T(empest)
AN CRAMP-IRON CRAM + (PIN OR) *
AA DAWNER ANDREW *
AS DOOBREY (punte)R in (DO + OBEY)
SS EFFORT BRIT with “EF for T” = BRIEF
UA FARO FAR + O
HN GRANT 2 meanings
EI HAYRICK HAICK around YR
WA HERDEN HERDMEN − M(an-made)
HS ILLNESS STILLNESS − ST
DN KAIM TOOK AIM − TOO
NE NAIL-ROD RINALDO *
RS OAT O(rg)A(n s)T(op)
UE PEA SOUP PEP around (A + SOU)
DS QUARRYMASTER ARMY’S * in QUARTER
SE ROSEOLA ROSE + O(n) L(egs) A(rms)
SS RUNTS RUIN IT IS − I − I − I
OA SHEETS SHE + SET *
EE SPINOID (IN IPOD + S(ing)) *
NY THC T(een) H(aving) C(risis)
OS THEGNS (G + N) in (THE + S)
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