Listener Crossword 4175: Solution Notes
The Winning Line by Ozzie
Puzzle explanation
After numerical substitutions there are no 2s, so the instruction MULTIPLY BY TEN (file 7) leaves only 0 or 10 in each cell. To justify the description TIC-TAC-TO GAMES (rank 4), the Roman numeral X is used for 10, and the grid is to be considered as sixteen 3×3 blocks. Most of these do not represent feasible games of noughts and crosses (many have too few 0s), but the last one can be “won” by adding an X in the bottom-right corner cell to complete the winning line.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ranks | |||
| 1 | CUISSE-MADAME | (SAUCES + I’M) * + MADE * | |
| TALC | A in TLC | ||
| 2 | SEGUE | (hou)SE GUE(st) | |
| TIDES | D in TIES | ||
| 3 | LIES | 2 meanings | |
| DOGIE | DOG + IE | ||
| 4 | TIC-TAC | TACTIC with the halves swapped | |
| TOGA | TOG(s) + A | ||
| MESA | MESA(l) | ||
| 5 | SESQUIPEDAL | (gos)SES + QUI + PEDAL | |
| TWO-STEP | STEWPOT *; ref. Aztec two-step | ||
| 6 | PLATO | PLAT + O | |
| 7 | APOSTOLIC | AIOLI with (A + POST) for A1 + C | |
| WILE | homophone of WHILE | ||
| 8 | SASHAY | SHAY after SA | |
| CYST | (fan)CY ST(itches) | ||
| 9 | MISHIT | (I’M THIS) * | |
| BESIEGE | (BEE GEES with I for E) * | ||
| 10 | ME-TOO | MET + O + O | |
| YGOE | GOEY with last letter at the front | ||
| ODEA | ODE + A | ||
| 11 | SEPS | SPES < | |
| TILLED | TED around ILL | ||
| 12 | STATICE | ’S + TATI + CE | |
| SALLE | HALLÉ with S for the first letter | ||
| 13 | CHALCANTHITE | CHAL + CAN’T + HIT + E | |
| Files | |||
| 1 | CASTAWAY | CAST + AWAY | |
| MOES | SOME * | ||
| CULLIS | CULL + IS | ||
| 2 | OPSIMATH | (OAP + MHIST) * | |
| 3 | ICES | ICE + S | |
| OASES | (n)O A(s)SE(t)S; ref. next answer | ||
| ASSETS | AS + SET + S | ||
| 4 | SHTETLS | SH + LETTS * | |
| 5 | ETHIOPIC | ETHIC around (H)OPI | |
| 6 | EGGCUP | cryptic definition | |
| TOSCA | (shiv) TO SCA(rpia); ref. characters in Puccini opera | ||
| 7 | MULTI- | M(aths) + UT around L + I | |
| PLY | PLAY − A | ||
| BYTE | BE(t)TY * | ||
| NAE | EAN < | ||
| 8 | COPPICE | COP + PI(e)CE | |
| GIST | G IS T | ||
| 9 | DODGE | 2 meanings | |
| SOLA HAT | (HALO + S) < + A + ’T | ||
| 10 | ADAWS | A + DAWS | |
| ELL | WELL − W | ||
| 11 | MIGMATITE | M + I + G + (MATE around IT) | |
| PELTED | ELT in PED | ||
| 12 | LOLIGO | LO + L(imbs) + (f)I(ve) + (or)G(ans) + (red)O(ubled) | |
| DEET | TEED <; cf. “teed up” | ||
| 13 | ESTEEMED | (SEE + DEET + M(ozzie)) * | |