Listener Crossword 4059: Solution Notes
Child’s Play by Dysart
Puzzle explanation
The grid represented a Snakes and Ladders board. Misprints spelt “Delete all but seventy-five thematic letters.” Solvers were required to draw the snakes and ladders indicated by these letters. Potential ambiguities of location for the final letters of “anaconda” and “cobra”, as well as another possible path for “cobra”, were resolved by the need for 75 thematic letters.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Entry | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | lan(K) | LEANY | (NEARLY – (dee)R) * |
| 4 | b(U)tter | DIETIST | IS in (DIET + (patien)T) |
| 9 | Sta(G)e | EVITA | E + VITA |
| 13 | ch(U)ck | NOSH | NOS(e) + H |
| 14 | (M)ore | CALLOWER | (y)ELLOW CAR(d) * |
| 15 | alon(G) | COVARIES | (O(ld) + V(est) in CARIES |
| 16 | m(O)re | IWIS | I + W(orkhouse) + IS |
| 18 | (S)acked | CANNED | CD about (A + N + NE) |
| 20 | s(H)ow | PARADE | PARADISE – IS |
| 23 | (D)rink | ORGEAT | ORG(y) + EA + T’ |
| 24 | P(I)nched | TAKEN | TA + KEN |
| 27 | (B)ank | PERP | PREP < |
| 29 | (R)ing | LAER | LA(k)ER |
| 30 | W(A)lter’s | BIELD | FIELD, F to B |
| 31 | sha(R)ing | ISOBARE | (I + BARE) about SO |
| 32 | plan(T)s | CEDARS | (D + CARES) * |
| 33 | Thi(S) | TETRYL | Composite anagram of UTTERLY, using U |
| 34 | (L)ower | LESSEN | Hidden |
| Down | |||
| 1 | fiddl(E) | LENTI | LENT + I |
| 2 | (T)rance | AISLING | (f)AILS * + IN + G |
| 3 | Pla(N)t | YACCA | Y(arn) for D in DACCA |
| 5 | (D)icky’s | ILL | FILL – F |
| 6 | Pric(K) | THORN | T + HORN |
| 7 | (W)ell | STEEN | ST + E’EN |
| 8 | (L)acking | TORSO | Hidden |
| 10 | bl(U)nder | THISNE | THINE about ’S; reference A Midsummer-Night’s Dream |
| 11 | (P)an | NAOI | (IN A + O) * |
| 12 | Sh(O)w | PLAY AT | P(ygmalion) + LAY + A + (cas)T |
| 17 | we(D) | WAR BRIDE | (h)A(i)R in W(ash-tu)B + RIDE |
| 18 | F(L)at | COHABIT | CO(st) + HAB(akkuk) + IT |
| 19 | smoo(T)hed | EASED | CEASED – C |
| 20 | (W)ater | PEE | PEE(r) |
| 21 | (R)ight | DESERVE | D(inner) + RESERVE – R |
| 22 | u(S)e | ENURE | (enjoyabl)E + RUN < + E |
| 25 | Pe(N)s | KRAALS | ARK < + AL + S(kedaddle) |
| 26 | shrin(K) | ADLER | ((D(evi) + L(akshmi) + ARE) * |
| 27 | (N)ose | PHIAL | PHIL (Duke of Edinburgh = Prince Philip) about A |
| 28 | (G)od | ROOSE | OR < + alternate letters in MOBSTER |
| THEMATIC: SET 1 | |||
| (a) | VIPER | VIER about P | |
| (b) | NAGA | NAGASAKI – SAKI | |
| (c) | RACER | BRACER – B | |
| (d) | COBRA | (COR + A) about B | |
| (e) | ADDER | (g)ADDER | |
| (f) | SIDEWINDER | (WIN + DER) after SIDE | |
| (g) | ANACONDA | ANA + CON + DA | |
| (h) | ASP | WASP – W | |
| THEMATIC: SET 2 | |||
| (i) | COMPANION | (A NINCOMPOOP – OP) * | |
| (j) | LADDER | LAD + RED < | |
| (k) | RUN | Hidden | |
| (l) | SCALE | SC + A + LE(o) | |
| (m) | STY | With YEA, STY becomes YEASTY | |
| (n) | TRAP | PART(ners) < | |
| (o) | ÉTRIER | E-TRIER, ie, one trying Ecstasy | |