Listener Crossword 4120: Solution Notes
Cross-country by MynoT
Puzzle explanation
The message from omitted letters read “colour appropriately cells containing letters of theme”. The theme is Switzerland’s Latin title, Confederatio Helvetica, given in Chambers as the origin of the Swiss vehicle registration abbreviation, CH. The cells containing these letters were to be coloured red, revealing the Swiss flag. (The Swiss flag is square; almost all others are rectangular.)
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | OFFEN(C)E | OFF + EN + CE |
| 5 | C(O)NCEAL | ONCE in CAL |
| 10 | LOO RO(L)L | LOLL around (OO + R(epair)) |
| 14 | TIV(O)LI | TIVO + LI |
| 15 | ACO(U)CHI | COUCH in AI |
| 16 | (R)ETELL | RE + TELL |
| 19 | LOC(A)L | 2 meanings (LO-CAL, LOCAL) |
| 20 | (P)ERL | L after PER |
| 21 | CA(P)SULE | CAPS + ULE |
| 22 | HAA(R) | RA(j)AH < |
| 23 | FL(O)SSY | F + LOSSY |
| 24 | SUM(P)IT | homophone of SOME + PIT |
| 27 | D(R)OWSY | SWORD < + Y(ouths) |
| 29 | PSM(I)TH | PITH around SM; ref. P. G. Wodehouse character |
| 31 | DEV(A) | DEVASTATE − STATE |
| 32 | COU(T)URE | CURE around OUT |
| 33 | ERI(E) | (p)ERRIE(r) − R |
| 35 | INTI(L) | INTI + L |
| 36 | (Y)ARRAN | YARRAMAN − MA |
| 38 | AR(C)H-FOE | (EACH FOR) * |
| 41 | LI(E)VER | E in LIVER |
| 42 | LIONCE(L) | LL around (I + ONCE) |
| 43 | AI(L)ERON | AIL + ER + ON |
| 44 | ECLAIR(S) | EC + LAIRS |
| Down | ||
| 1 | (C)OLLEEN | COLON with LEE for O |
| 2 | F(O)ETOR | FOE + TOR |
| 3 | E(N)ROL | (LORN + E) < |
| 4 | NO(T)T | NOTTS − S |
| 6 | N(A)TO | (W)OTAN < |
| 7 | (I)CICLE | (ICI + LE) around C |
| 8 | ALICA(N)T | ALI CAN’T |
| 9 | LILL(I)AN | LILLIPUTIAN − (I PUT) |
| 11 | (N)OVELLO | NOVEL + LO |
| 12 | (G)LASSY | GASSY around L(itany) |
| 13 | (L)ACMUS | LAC + MUS |
| 17 | LASSO(E)D | LASS + OED |
| 18 | FLUS(T)RA | FLU + RATS * |
| 25 | ITERAN(T) | ITINERANT − IN |
| 26 | C(E)DILLA | (ra)CED ILL-A(dvisedly) |
| 27 | DENA(R)II | DEN + AR(e) + I’ + I(nfluenza) |
| 28 | YUPON(S) | (SO PUNY) * |
| 29 | PUMEL(O) | UP < + MEL + O |
| 30 | (F)AINTER | FAIN + T + ER (erbium, atomic no. 68) |
| 32 | CI(T)HER | THRICE * |
| 34 | RANC(H)I | RANCH + I |
| 37 | (E)RROL | (swashbuckl)ER ROL(es); ref. Errol Flynn |
| 39 | FRO(M) | FROMAGE − AGE |
| 40 | RIC(E) | PRICE − P |