Listener Crossword 4060: Solution Notes

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BAT by Schadenfreude

Puzzle explanation

The encryption code for the alphabet (excluding G, J, K, Q, Y, Z) is shown in the first table below. Apart from four encodings, this could be inferred from consideration of possible down words. Two further ones came from decoding the message from extra words in the clues, using the second table, which reverses the encryption. This message read “enter decoded row four as numerals in vacant cells” and row four uncoded read “two, one, six, three”, confirming the final two encodings. Altered down answers are shown in the third table below. The title BAT was PIN encoded.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

O

F

M

H

S

U

–

D

A

–

–

P

L

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

T

E

B

–

N

V

R

W

X

I

C

–

–

---

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

I

P

X

H

O

B

–

D

W

–

–

M

C

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

R

A

L

–

T

E

N

F

S

U

V

–

–

---

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No	Extra word	Answer	Explanation
Across
11	sacrificing	AXIOMS	MO < in AXIS
12	the	LIVE LOAD	ALL VIDEO *
13	rowing	RATLINE	TAR < + LINE
15	stupid	PRAIRIE	PAIR about R + IE
19	Northern	ERUDITE	DITE after (E + RU)
21	hanging	SHEILAS	SHES about (I’ + (Ade)LA(ide)) & lit
24	starts	WELDOR	WELD (obs, wield) + OR
25	my	NOGG	NOGGIN – IN
26	Equations	MOON	MOO + N
27	hopper	REDBUD	RED + BUD
30	sex	MANNERS	MAN + ONERS – O (love)
32	hand-out	AGA SAGA	AGA + SAG + A
38	nomads	IRATELY	(I + ELY) about RAT
39	equipment	RELEASE	RE + LEASE
40	indignity	EVITABLE	EVIL – L + TABLE
41	urbane	COARSE	Homophone (course)
Down
1	Extended	BARREL	BARRE + L
2	woman	NITE	NICE, T for C
3	no-trumps	VOLED	E in (V + OLD)
4	officer	EMIT	ME < (one formally) + IT (sexual activity)
5	VIP	O LEVEL	O (over) + LEVE(E) + L
6	troupe	PIPAS	A in PIPS
7	website	HEARER	HER about (A + RE)
8	Lawyers	SLIDING	SIDING (lie) about L(arge)
9	Steep	TORN	TO (for) + RN (N. Am)
10	novel	ADES	Hidden
14	operational	AIR-TO-AIR	AIRT + O’ + AIR
16	personal	ISAGOGES	I’S + AGOG + E’S
17	vaguely	STEERS	TEER in (S + S)
18	attracts	CHOUGH	Two definitions (one is dialect)
20	thyme	UDON	(yo)U + DON
22	xenon	LOMA	(O + LAMP – P) *
23	ochre	ANNATTO	A TAN, NOT *
27	movong	REHEAR	HE in REAR
28	often	BARRET	BRAT * about RE
29	trees	CAREEN	REE in (CA + N)
31	rotation	STYLE	STYE about L
33	mould	STEAL	’S + TEAL
34	Strikers	LIEU	LIE + U
35	possibly	SAIM	AI in (S + M)
36	pleasing	CLOW	C + LOW
37	vitalises	BARF	BAR + F

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