× Timing is everything. Get to the center as quickly as you can. Move on diagonals and kill a roach every turn where possible. Often, you will have to kill a bunch of roaches, then turn around just in time to kill another. The exits out onto the pits are a good place to make a stand, even if there's a queen behind, as it can't spawn.

× step a couple steps west in the outer passage and a couple steps south in the outer passage before trying to go and kill any roach queens... this will drive the two nearest roach queens into the notches where there already is a roach queen, effectively killing one without having to get your sword there. Other that that... try to use the walls to keep roaches at bay, and remember that you can also duck into the alcoves, even if you haven't had time to kill the roach queens, in the alcoves you can find safety from the roaches, and prevent the queen in there from spawning, because you block the only empty spot. the important thing is to be careful and not let the roaches get to you from more than one direction if you don't have time to turn your sword. Take it slow, this room is your first real big challenge as a swordsman.

×Entering with your sword pointing to your left will probably help too. DON'T just walk out of the alcove-thingy after you hit the orb, kill any roaches and wraithwings that come at you. Or, if you're enough of a control freak, trap some of the oncoming roaches behind the wraithwings IF YOU ARE CONFIDENT THAT YOU CAN EASILY. Once you think you killed enough roaches, kill the three near you, retreating after each kill, then kill everything else.