Listener Crossword 4436: Solution Notes
Clean-up Operation by Aragon
Puzzle explanation
The grid depicted the scene after a POSTMAN had left a trail of footprints from a DOORSTEP that had been freshly painted DARK BROWN (spelt out using across letters in clashes from D(oorstep) to (postma)N). The extra letters in clues spelt out “erase all trail clashes; down trail clashes”. Arranging the clashes’ down letters (IPONATT) in column 3 produced the warning WET PAINT ON DOORSTEP!, including an exclamation mark formed by combining the clashing I and a dot (of Bardot) in the penultimate cell.
A very large proportion of solvers ignored the preamble’s statement about the colour of the doorstep, “across entries in the trail set the tone for the work area”, and failed to highlight it in dark brown or anything remotely similar. Alternative highlighting colours were not marked wrong in this case, but solvers should not expect such mistakes to be overlooked in the future.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Extra letter | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | LOCUM | OC in LUM | |
| 5 | Not(E) | SHAWNEES | SHAW + SEEN < |
| 11 | wo(R)n | PAPAW | PA + PA + W |
| 13 | Gal(A) | AMIE | ((hous)E I’M A(sked)) < |
| 14 | Spur(S) | GEE UP | GEE + UP |
| 15 | LOINS | IN in LOS | |
| 16 | R(E)use | PAWK | P(assing) A(round) W(indows) K(nowledge) |
| 18 | UNTOGAED | (GO NUDE AT) * | |
| 20 | USEN’T | USENET − E | |
| 22 | Co(A)x | SEER | STEER − T |
| 23 | SOHO | 2 meanings | |
| 24 | (L)one | BLIP | ((I + L) in PB) < |
| 26 | f(L)ood | LAMP | M in LAP |
| 28 | s(T)aid | KNEED | homophone of NEED |
| 29 | hea(R)d | KAVA | K(ilgraston) + AVA |
| 32 | (A)shamed | ESSE | E(asily) S(hamed) S(tops) E(ating) |
| 36 | ALAR | ALAR(m) | |
| 38 | cha(I)se | HUNT | N in HUT |
| 39 | (L)ace | ANANA | NANA after A |
| 40 | INWEAVES | IN + W + EAVES | |
| 41 | (C)ranks | ORBY | OR + BY |
| 43 | tea(L) | BOHEA | HOB < + EA |
| 45 | JUDAS | DA in JUS | |
| 46 | ALME | MALE * | |
| 47 | (A)bout | VENEY | ENE in (V + Y) |
| 48 | Ba(S)kers | TANDOORS | TAN + DO + OR + S(tew) |
| 49 | P(H)D | TEPID | TE + I(nvestigation) in PD |
| Down | |||
| 1 | cod(E) | LEG-PULL | L + EG + PULL |
| 2 | OLEA | O + LEA | |
| 3 | CHEWED | C + HEWED | |
| 4 | (S)port | MAPUTO | MO around (A + PUT) |
| 5 | (D)river | SPONSONS | SPONSORS with N for R |
| 6 | Speed(O) | HASTEN | HAS + TEN |
| 7 | AIM | A + I’M | |
| 8 | NAPAS | N’A PAS | |
| 9 | Vie(W) | EINDHOVEN | (VIE + HENDON) * |
| 10 | Loose(N) | SESTON | (Loo)SE STON(es) |
| 12 | Go(T) | ALGOID | (GO after L) in AID |
| 17 | (R)on | KNOP | (ON in PK) < |
| 19 | EOKA | EA around OK | |
| 21 | (A) | SCAGLIOLA | (AS LOGICAL) * |
| 25 | (I) | LETTERNS | LET + TERNS |
| 27 | Da(L)y’s | MOAN | MON around A |
| 28 | (C)heats | ASHETS | HEATS * + S |
| 29 | KENO | KEN + O’ | |
| 30 | grave(L) | ARAYSED | A + RAYED around S |
| 31 | (A)way | SABBAT | ABBA in ST |
| 33 | ENVIER | (I NEVER) * | |
| 34 | (S)light | GAS JET | ((concludin)G + A + ET) around SJ |
| 35 | HARD-UP | HARD + UP | |
| 37 | C(H)ute | TWEED | TWEE + D(ump) |
| 42 | star(E) | BARDOT | BARD + OT |
| 44 | (S)old | AVO | AV + O |