STRADDLE

OLDFRUITDear fellow died in our lift, putting that out of order CHANCEITTake a risk OPENPLANLike an office designed for collaboration VIRGINALAncient poet stuck with an unusually old keyboard MRSCLAUSArctic cookiemaker ASGOODASVirtually RASPUTINInfamous Russian mystic ACADEMIADark ___ (aesthetic associated with old libraries and tweed) ORATORIOOne making a speech at Number Ten - to music CITATIONBibliography listing RELEVANTOn point RECKLESSLike crazy driving - though without a crash, we're told ECHIDNASOnly egg-laying mammals besides platypuses IDARESAY"Seems to me..."