Play’s Opening by Shark

Puzzle explanation

Reading downwards, the encircled letters spell out “Anfield”. These are joined up together with a circle over the centre point, hinted at by KO (kick-off), to show the path of the ball at the start of a football match. KOP is a terrace at the end of Liverpool’s Anfield stadium (see Chambers). The pitch markings are shown for PENALTY BOX (twice) and CENTRE CIRCLE. Any colour (except red) was accepted for the markings.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Misprint Answer Explanation
Across
1   WRAXLE W + R + AXLE
5   PECK PECKSNIFF − SNIFF
9   HERO HER(a) + O(rpheus)
10   OLIVETAN OLIVET + AN
11   ARABY ARA(rat) + BY
13   LANATE AT in LANE
14   CANTAR CAN + TAR
15   RACHE RACHE(l); ref. biblical Jacob
18   ISOLECITHAL (I’ + THIS CELL + O(v)A) *
21   GLIAL (GOAL LINE) * − ONE *
24   CHAI CHAIR − R
25   SNATH SNATCH − C
26   SWARM ’S + WARM
28 (N)ine TENT TEN + T(rip)
31   RETIE RETIRE − R
32   EUROSCEPTIC (PICTURES + CE + O) *
35   SPECS (SCEPSIS − IS) <
37   SOU-SOU SOUS + OU
39   CAREER CA + ER < + ER
41   SCORE ’S + CORE
42 Carte(L) FIRMLESS FIRM + LESS
43   DONS DON(e) + ’S
44 (D)erry DROSSY ROSS in D(err)Y; ref. Sir James Clark Ross or Sir John Ross
45   SEPTET SET around PTE
Down
1   WHACK HACK after W(inter)
2   RERAILS RE + RAIL + S
3   ARAN A + RAN
4   LOYAL ALLOY with AL moved
5   ILL (f)ILL(e)
6   VARIES V + ARIES
7   PEN 3 meanings (female swan, pen friend, quill)
8   CATHAY CAT + HAY
12   TREMATIC MATTER * + I’ + C(ourt)
16   CHIANTI CHI + ANTI-
17   ELCHEE (Babyb)EL CHEE(se)
19   SIMARRE MARRIES *
20 (F)lan’s CHIEFESS (IE + F(lan)) in CHESS
21   GUSLES GUS + LES
22   ACRE A + CRE(w)
23 t(A)ne ANTE TANE *
27   MISSELS ELS after MISS
29 B(I)n BICORNE (BIN + E(lton)) around COR
30   AU PAIR A(rticulate) + UP + AIR
33   POSSE POSSES − S
34 Te(E) GUEST T after GUES
36   GREY TREY with G for the first letter
38   SOOT (POTATOES − (P, AT, E)) *
40   EMS 2 meanings
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