Listener Crossword 3973: Solution Notes
Collusion by The Magpie
Puzzle explanation
Extra definitions to be removed from clues are shown in the table below. The 5-letter definitions, applied to unclued down entries, allowed entry of CLEVER CLOGS at 24ac, the 6-letter definitions SMARTYPANTS, the 7-letter definitions BRIGHT SPARK. Corrections to misprints (in 9, 12, 14, 17, 22, 39 across, 34, 35, 38 down, respectively) gave ALZUMOHKI. Adding up the alpha-numeric values of the checked letters of CLEVER CLOGS, SMARTYPANTS and BRIGHT SPARK together with the misprint list and COLLUSION and converting back to letters allowed 24ac to be completed as BRAINS TRUST.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal, † = punctuation/spacing adjusted
| No | Extra word /Misprint |
Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | flight | DIAMONDBACK | DIAMOND (“pick” is a diamond in cards) + BACK; rhyming slang for snake |
| 9 | Mai(a) | OREAD | O + READ; eldest of the Pleiades |
| 10 | †s upper | EPOCHA | CHA(p) after EPO |
| 12 | Sta(l)k | STRIG | STRING – N(aked) |
| 14 | (Z)orilla’s | ATOC | A to C |
| 15 | †Has ten s | UPCHEER | CHEER after UP |
| 17 | s(u)ck | RESORB | BRO(w)SER < |
| 20 | ranks | HABLE | B in HALE |
| 21 | pal(m) | KENTIA | K + ENTIA |
| 23 | remiss | IMODE | Homophone (I’M OWED) |
| 27 | fosters | LACEY | LACKEY – K |
| 30 | noise | EVOKED | (r)EVOKED |
| 32 | †ret ches | ANKLE | (r)ANK + L + E, eta’s top = E to right of L |
| 33 | †gal let | DORSAL | DOR + L about S(taff)A |
| 36 | letters | CANASTA | ST in CANAA(n) |
| 39 | (O)n | IN RE | IRE about N |
| 41 | bullock | KRENG | (spe)K + RE(eki)NG & lit |
| 42 | garbs | ACACIA | A/C + A/C + I’ + A |
| 43 | howled | USURE | URE after US (= me) |
| 44 | naked | THREADMAKER | TH(e) + READ-MAKER (facetious reference to novelist) |
| Down | |||
| 1 | †sty Le | DOWAR | DO + WAR |
| 2 | †Was he s | AERO | A + (h)ERO |
| 3 | †hell ene | MASCOT | (COATS + M(y))* (red indicating anagram) |
| 4 | †lat ch | ODOUR | O’ + DOUR(o) |
| 5 | regard | NEEP | PEEN < |
| 6 | †s word | BOTHAM | AM after BOTH |
| 7 | sprees | ACRE | IF < + (answer) gives FIACRE |
| 8 | thumps | CHIELD | SHIELD, S(pades) to C(lubs) |
| 11a | 6dn | STEEL | = sword |
| 11b | 5dn | STEEM | = regard |
| 11c | 41ac | STEER | = bullock |
| 13a | 20ac | GREES | = ranks |
| 13b | 1ac | GREES | = flight |
| 13c | 3dn | GREEK | = Hellene |
| 16a | 1dn | CHIC | = style |
| 16b | 33ac | CHIP | = gallet |
| 16c | 36ac | CHIS | = letters |
| 18a | 4dn | SNECK | = latch |
| 18b | 10ac | SNACK | = supper |
| 18c | 40dn | SNICK | = deflect |
| 19a | 44ac | BARED | = naked |
| 19b | 43ac | BAYED | = howled |
| 19c | 28dn | BATED | = blunted |
| 21a | 37dn | BOOKS | = tomes |
| 21b | 8dn | BONKS | = thumps |
| 21c | 32ac | BOAKS | = retches |
| 24a | 30ac | CLACK | = noise |
| 24b | 23ac | SLACK | = remiss |
| 24c | 31dn | BLACK | = boycott |
| 25a | 29dn | EYES | = ogles |
| 25b | 2dn | TYES | = washes |
| 25c | 15ac | HYES | = hastens |
| 26a | 42ac | GEARS | = garbs |
| 26b | 7dn | TEARS | = sprees |
| 26c | 27ac | REARS | = fosters |
| 28 | blunted | ANARCH | AN + ARCH |
| 29 | ogles | ELANCE | ELEGANCE – EG |
| 31 | boycott | ORISSA | MAILING about (answer) gives MAORIS SAILING |
| 34 | (h)old | OAKUM | O/A + (M’ + UK) < |
| 35 | bra(k)e | LEVER | CLEVER – C |
| 37 | tomes | NEAR | Ne + Ar (two of the noble gases) |
| 38 | D(i)ddy’s | TOAD | TOO BAD – OB |
| 40 | deflect | NEUK | NUKE, E moved |