Listener Crossword 4091: Solution Notes
Mind the Gap by Calmac
Puzzle explanation
It is found that some down answers are too long to fit and some are too short (one meaning of the “drawback” in the preamble). The central phrase “reculer pour mieux sauter” means “to draw back to take a better leap”. It is found in The Chambers Dictionary’s appendix of phrases from foreign languages. Letters in double cells must read in the correct order: left to right, or top to bottom, or both (diagonally).
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | INTERNAL AUDITOR | (OUTLINED ARRANT) * about I |
| 12 | NO-BRAINER | BARON * + IN + (Cind)ER(ella) |
| 13 | GONAD | (AN in DOG) < |
| 15 | BANC | Hidden |
| 16 | RUNRIG | (GIRN + UR) < |
| 17 | IRENE | IRE about EN(d) |
| 18 | TUREEN | U(sually) in TREEN |
| 19 | SORDO | Hidden |
| 21 | ASTI | ASTIR − R |
| 22 | FORRES | RR in FOES |
| 25 | RITE | (w)RITE(r) |
| 26 | LOOT | TOOL <; answer is a verb |
| RECULER POUR MIEUX SAUTER | Thematic | |
| 28 | ETAS | EAS(e)about T |
| 30 | ACER | ACE + R |
| 32 | TINSEL | TIN + SEL(l) |
| 34 | ERIC | CLERIC − CL |
| 35 | TRIAD | (DIRT about A) < |
| 36 | CAHOOT | CA + HOOT |
| 40 | SCAMP | Two definitions |
| 42 | ELUATE | ULE < + ATE |
| 43 | INCA | (IN + A) about C(onquistadores) |
| 44 | EBLIS | E + BLIS(s) |
| 45 | SCLEROSES | (LESS SORE) * about C(alamine) |
| 46 | SPEECH THERAPIST | (SHE’S CHATTIER + PEP) * |
| Down | ||
| 1 | INDISCREETNESS | (SINS + INTERCEDES) * |
| 2 | NORROY | Hidden reversed |
| 3 | ERIN | Alternate letters |
| 4 | RACE | BRACE − B |
| 5 | ANAESTHETIST | HESITATES * in ANT |
| 6 | LENT | LENT(o) |
| 7 | ARCTIC CIRCLE | (A + RC + CLERIC *) about TIC |
| 8 | DOUR | DO + UR |
| 9 | INNER | WINNER − W |
| 10 | TARE | ERAT <; wordplay uses Latin word |
| 11 | REGISTERED POST | PRIDE STORE GETS * |
| 13 | GRUFF | GUFF about R |
| DINE OUT | Unclued | |
| 14 | CERULEAN | CLEAN about (E + RU) |
| 15 | BLAIR | RIB < about LA; reference real name of George Orwell |
| 20 | DORPS | (SP + ROD) < |
| TEAR | Unclued | |
| 23 | OSIER | NOSIER − N |
| 24 | ROSARIAN | RAN about (O + SARI); a “standard” is a rose |
| 25 | ROUGE | G(irl) in ROUÉ |
| 26 | LUXOR | L + UX + OR [other ranks] |
| CUTICLE | Unclued | |
| 27 | MECCA | (ME + CA) about C(onverts) |
| 29 | SLOES | Homophone (SLOWS) |
| 31 | JAMBES | B in (Henry) JAMES |
| 33 | SHALE | SALE about H |
| 37 | AUBE | A + TUBE − T |
| 38 | OTIC | (n)OTIC(e) |
| 39 | INCH | Two definitions |
| 40 | SERA | ARES < |
| 41 | CROP | Hidden |