Sackcloth and ashes is an expression used to describe a state of deep sorrow and repentance. It is often associated with the biblical practice of wearing sackcloth and sitting in ashes as a sign of mourning or repentance. The two crossword solutions, REMORSE and PENANCE, are both related to this expression. REMORSE is a feeling of deep regret for something done wrong, while PENANCE is an act of self-punishment or atonement for a wrong committed. Together, these two words capture the essence of the phrase 'sackcloth and ashes, ' which is a state of deep sorrow and repentance.