Listener Crossword 4126: Solution Notes
Arthurian Legend by Corvettes
Puzzle explanation
This puzzle was dedicated to Derek Arthur, co-editor of the Listener Crossword, who passed away in 2010, by his former “co-vetters” of the Listener Crossword: Dimitry, Arcturus and Kea. The misprints in wordplay spelt his crossword-setting pseudonym, Viking. Lining up the corresponding cells produced GRAYLE (an archaic form of “grail”) at the top of the grid and, in every fourth radial, the modified quotation “thou wert the kindest man that ever struck with crossword”, from Le Morte D’Arthur by Thomas Malory.
The clues contained the titles of all of Derek’s Listener puzzles: Bumps (arc 45), The Rest? (radial 15), Easy? (radial 9), Isle (arc 32), Home Run (radial 23), Crackers (arc 6), Two for the Price of One (radial 5), Factory (radial 8), Lots (radial 41), Masterworks (arc 27), Vive la Différence (arc 36; a collaboration with Kea) and Primordial (radial 14).
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation (misprint in red) |
|---|---|---|
| Arcs | ||
| 1 | GENETS | EN in VETS |
| 6 | GERMS | R in GEMS |
| 12 | AMPLY | A + PLY after M |
| 16 | SETTER | TESTER * |
| 21 | TOPSIDES | TIDES around OP’S |
| 27 | MOPS | M + OP + S |
| 32 | TOKOS | TO + KOS |
| 33 | KERRY | KY around IRE < |
| 34 | HOLOTYPE | HYPE around (O + LOT) |
| 36 | EAU | (EAU + V(ive) L(a) D(ifférence) * = VALUED |
| 38 | TEENY | TEE + N + Y |
| 39 | PHUT | P + HUT |
| 42 | ORANT | O(ne) + RANT |
| 44 | JEAN | 2 meanings |
| 45 | VIA | VIVA − V |
| Radials | ||
| 2 | EQUATE | (mistak)E + QUA + TE |
| 3 | ELEVON | NOVEL < after (night-tim)E |
| 4 | EKUELE | (EKE + UK + E(cosystem)) < |
| 5 | TOWHEE | (TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE) * − (ONCE FOR PROFIT) * |
| 6 | SQUAWK | SAW around QU + K |
| 7 | MOHAWK | MAWK around OH |
| 8 | RYPECK | (facto)RY + PECK |
| 9 | GROMET | GREASY − EASY + (TO ME) * |
| 10 | FEWMET | FEW + MET |
| 11 | TITOKI | OK in (TI + TI) |
| 12 | TITCHY | TIT + CH + Y |
| 13 | LOUISA | LO + I in USA; ref. Louisa May Alcott |
| 14 | MODENA | E in (r)ANDOM < |
| 15 | ATHENA | THE in ANA |
| 16 | SYNCHS | homophone of SINKS |
| 17 | EPOCHS | CHEOPS * |
| 18 | SECRET | SEC + RET |
| 19 | SECANT | SET around CAN |
| 20 | WRITER | WAITER with R for A |
| 21 | WICKET | WICK + (secr)ET |
| 22 | PUKEKO | PUKE + KO |
| 23 | IN TOTO | IN + TO(r)T + O |
| 24 | DE SOTO | (DOES * + O) around (interne)T |
| 25 | DRAGEE | DR + A + GEE |
| 26 | DRANTS | R in DANTS |
| 27 | SWAYED | IE in SWAD |
| 28 | PREYED | PR + EYED |
| 29 | OBJURE | URE after JOB * |
| 30 | ERUVIM | ER + U + VIM |
| 31 | EQUID | QU in NID |
| 35 | WRING | homophone of RING |
| 37 | WICCA | (ACC + I +W) < |
| 39 | THEE | ETHE with letters “cycled” |
| 40 | DECK | DEREK with C for RE + 2 meanings |
| 41 | ASIA | G(r)I(m)S(h)A(w) < |
| 43 | OKED | K in OED |