Listener Crossword 3979: Solution Notes
Huge Ruin (Remote) by Gos
Puzzle explanation
The theme was the writer Edgar Allan Poe, whose name was spelt out by the correct letters of the misprinted definitions in normal order of the first 13 clued grid entries: Bas(e), Foo(d), Brid(g)e’s, h(a)ir’s, Fu(r), Cro(a)ked, Ti(l), Har(l)em, R(a)cket, colo(n), Sho(p), M(o)w, lumb(e)r. Film versions of three of Poe’s stories were featured in the puzzle. In the initial completed grid the unclued entry at 1ac, House of Usher, had to be moved down to 37ac to reflect its “fall” in the story, and 37ac Tomb of Ligeia moved in the opposite direction (reflecting the disinterment in that story). The puzzle title was an anagram derived from Murders in the Rue Morgue, the third featured work, and also hinted obliquely at the destruction of the House of Usher. Note that the film titles are not identical to the titles in the original works. There is also some variation in the titles used in these dramatisations, and between US and UK distribution titles; these do not compromise the thematic content as implemented here.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Misprint | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLUES (in original alphabetical order of answers) | |||
| 12dn | ACNE | CANE, with (pand)A earlier | |
| 9ac | Bas(e) | ALKALI | Hidden |
| 17ac | Ti(l) | BENNE | BENNET – (bucke)T |
| 26ac | colo(n) | CECUM | Homophone (SEEK ’EM) |
| 13ac | Brid(g)e’s | CLAPPER | Two definitions |
| 13dn | CLIO | C + OIL < | |
| 26dn | CRUST | Two definitions; reference “loaf” as in “head” | |
| 28ac | Sho(p) | DELI | DELI(cacy) |
| 8dn | ENRANGE | Hidden | |
| 19ac | Har(l)em | ESTROGEN | (ONE GETS + R)* |
| 5dn | FEATHER | THE in FEAR | |
| 21dn | GIPSY | First letters + Y | |
| 1dn | HARRIED | Homophone (HARRY ’D) | |
| 16ac | Cro(a)ked | ICED | DICE, D to end; reference N Am slang |
| 10dn | KINETIC | KIN + CITE < | |
| 29dn | LATHI | Hidden in MALATHION® | |
| 22dn | LEIPOA | Homophone (LIE) + POA | |
| 31dn | LOTO | TOOL* | |
| 11ac | Foo(d) | MANNA | ANNAM <; see Collins English Dictionary |
| 36ac | NATASHA | (HAS* + A) after TAN < | |
| 18dn | NOVELISE | (SEE + LOVIN(g))* | |
| 4dn | OILED | (b)OILED; reference “drunk” | |
| 2dn | OLEIC | First letters | |
| 33dn | PEAG | PE + AG | |
| 15ac | Fu(r) | PEAN | Every third letter |
| 34ac | PEEOY | PEE(l) + O(bviousl)Y | |
| 30ac | M(o)w | REAP | First letters |
| 14ac | h(a)ir’s | RINGLET | LET after RING |
| 25dn | RUIN | I in RUN | |
| 3dn | SANG | Three definitions | |
| 7dn | SAPPED | (PAS after DEP) < | |
| 27dn | SHEAL | SHELL, L replaced by A | |
| 32ac | lumb(e)r | SHIPLAP | SHIP + LAP |
| 20dn | STEEP-TO | STEEP + TOG – G | |
| 35ac | STURT | TRUST* | |
| 23dn | SUPERB | SUP – P + PER + B | |
| 24ac | “R(a)cket” | TIRRIVEE | TIRE about RIVE |
| 6dn | UMPS | M in UPS | |