Listener Crossword 4109: Solution Notes
Not a Black and White Decision by Brock
Puzzle explanation
The two halves of the grid represented a “greenfield site” and a “brownfield site”, indicated in rows 6 to 9 by the resolution of clashing letters between across and down answers in each side of the grid in the last three of these rows. In every case the same two clashing letters featured on both sides of the grid. This leads to a certain level of ambiguity since the grid can be completed with fewer clashes. Apart from the C/T letter clash between the answers to 5 and 14, the ambiguity can be resolved by noting that the clash is always resolved in one side of the grid in favour of the across answer and in the other in favour of the down answer to give a total of 18 clashes as stated in the preamble. The entry of the two words HORSES/HOUSES at 20 could only be resolved by reference to the theme. The resolution was to place HORSES on the left greenfield site as indicated by STABLE (1ac, left half) and HOUSES on the right brownfield site in BLOCKS (1ac, right half).
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | STABLE BLOCKS | (STALKS + COBBLE) * |
| 6 | BUSY | BUS + Y; 2 meanings |
| MERC | 2 meanings (mercenary, Mercedes) | |
| 7 | AMATOL | AM + ATOL(l) |
| COMODO | (MOOCHED SO) * − SHE * | |
| 8 | TINDAL | LAD < after TIN |
| KNAWEL | WE in LANK < | |
| 9 | EEN | (gr)EEN(ish-blue) |
| HAG | H(air) + AG | |
| 12 | WEB | WE + (Bo)B |
| LEG | 2 meanings | |
| 13 | REENS | SNEER < |
| SOWFF | SOW + FF | |
| 14 | ELDEST | EL(uant) + DE(tergent) + ST(arch) |
| BEDSIT | BESIT around (irone)D | |
| 16 | ECHT | (Br)ECHT |
| PFUI | (IF UP) * | |
| 18 | LADDIE | DI in LADE |
| HALERU | HAULER * | |
| 19 | CLEATS | SCARLET * − R(ed) |
| ANANAS | BANANAS − B | |
| 20 | HOUSES | HOS around USE |
| HORSES | HORS (d’oeuvr)ES | |
| Down | ||
| 1 | SUCKERS | 2 meanings |
| BLATHER | L in BATHER | |
| 2 | LAMIA | (LAMIA + BE) * = AMIABLE |
| TRONE | ONE after TR | |
| 3 | OBANGS | OS around BANG |
| AMMANS | S after AMMAN | |
| 4 | CUT DOWN | C(o)U(r)T (I’)D + OWN |
| BEOWULF | (BELOW + U) * + F | |
| 5 | ECOLOGIC | (COL + O(range)) in (ICE + G) * |
| SYLLABIC | (ALLY < + B) in SIC | |
| 10 | TESSERAE | ESSE in EART(h) < |
| DEFINITE | (IF IT NEEDS) * − S | |
| 11 | BEEFALO | (A + L) after BEEF + O |
| VOLCANO | VOL + CAN + O | |
| 14 | EPHAH | HH around A after EP |
| BELCH | BEL(l) + CH | |
| 15 | SIDAS | S + I’D + AS |
| ETENS | TEENS with E moved up | |
| 17 | LESS | LES + ’S |
| FUSS | (i)F (yo)U (gues)S (conjugation)S | |