Listener Crossword 4576: Solution Notes
Striving by Twin
Puzzle explanation
The first letters of the “spare” (extra) words in clues spelt out “read top left of each square; draw all disc outlines”. The top-left letters in each 2×2 square gave “spare words’ last letters are moves in columns A to G”. The non-grid answers from double clues were “Captain’s Mistress; shade four winning discs”. Playing a game of Captain’s Mistress (aka Connect Four) with players alternately dropping counters in the columns indicated (D F C A E B D C C D C G F D G E F D D E E C E E G F G G B A C A A G A F A F B B B B) led to a final position with one line of four counters of the same colour; these were filled in, while the other counters only had their outlines drawn.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Spare word / overlap | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 2 | (R)ecor(D) | APPAIR | A + PP + AIR |
| 7 | (E)ngul(F) | EH WHOW | (Ninev)EH WHO W(arriors); ref. Queen of the South FC |
| 11 | [superior officer’s] | OVERSEEN | OVERSEE(r) + N; CAPTAIN’S = (PANICS AT) * |
| 12 | (A)erobi(C) | RUBATO | R + ABOUT * |
| 13 | (D)at(A) | RADISH | (IS HARD) * |
| 14 | (T)ens(E) | TASSET | homophone of TACIT |
| 16 | (O)r(B) | TOWER | TOW + ER |
| 17 | (P)lanetoi(D) | MET | MET(eor) |
| 19 | (L)unati(C) | LEER | E(xampl)E in (L(es) R(épublicains)) |
| 20 | (E)rrati(C) | STIE | STILE − L |
| 21 | (F)or(D) | IRISH | NOIRISH − NO |
| 22 | (T)raffi(C) | SLEAZES | LESS * around EAZ |
| 29 | (O)utin(G) | CORVÉES | (medi)C (wh)O + VEERS * |
| 31 | (F)luf(F) | STEEN | S(ati)N around TEE |
| 32 | (E)n(D) | HARM | H + ARM |
| 34 | (A)lienatin(G) | ERGO | ERG + O |
| 36 | (C)los(E) | SEI | S(pace) E(ncounters) I(ntroduces) |
| 37 | (H)imsel(F) | CEORL | C + EORL |
| 39 | (S)ounde(D) | OGRISH | (speec)H SIR GO(dfrey) < |
| 40 | (Q)uote(D) | PARING | homophone of PAIRING |
| 41 | (U)ncl(E) | MONIST | MON 1ST |
| 42 | [leading] | ALTHOUGH | (L(ove) + THOUGH(t)) after A; MISTRESS = MIST + RE + SS |
| 43 | (A)x(E) | ENSATE | ENS + ATE |
| 44 | (R)omanti(C) | SQUAME | SQ + U + A(dapt) + TOME − TO |
| Down | |||
| 1 | (E)ighty-on(E) | SORELS | LOSER’S * |
| 2 | [lower] | AVALE | À + VALE; SHADE = 2 meanings |
| 3 | (D)odg(E) | PEDS | 2 meanings |
| 4 | (R)eadin(G) | ASSOT | ASS + OT |
| 5 | (A)stroTur(F) | RELETS | STE(e)LER < |
| 6 | (W)hackin(G) | ANTRIM | ANT + RIM |
| 7 | (A)nnoyin(G) | ERASER | ERAS + E(dito)R |
| 8 | (L)a(B) | HUSKIER | (UK HIRES) * |
| 9 | (L)av(A) | HAEMIC | HIC around (l)AM(p) around E |
| 10 | (D)emocrati(C) | WORTHY | W(as) O(ur) + R + THY |
| 15 | (I)de(A) | SHRIVEL | SHRIVE + L |
| 16 | (S)e(A) | TRACEUR | (RUE + CART) < |
| 18 | [square] | ESSE | (S + SEE) *; FOUR = OF < + UR |
| 23 | (C)hangin(G) | LATE | (TIME LOANS) * − SIMON * |
| 24 | [up] | ZENNIST | ZEST around INN <; WINNING = N in WINING |
| 25 | (O)meg(A) | ASSUME | (SUM + E) after A’S |
| 26 | (U)nheard-o(F) | REIGNS | SINGER * |
| 27 | (T)e(A) | CHASTE | CHA + S + TE(a) |
| 28 | (L)ea(F) | MACHAN | MAN around (e)ACH |
| 29 | (I)MD(B) | CREELS | C(a)S(e) around REEL |
| 30 | (N)ightclu(B) | SOUGHT | SOT around UGH |
| 33 | (E)ntom(B) | PRAHU | P + RAHU |
| 35 | [circles] | GUNGE | (GNU in EG) <; DISCS = DIS + C(learly) S(how) |
| 38 | (S)ubur(B) | PIUM | (I’M UP) * |