Listener Crossword 4194: Solution Notes
Two Little Ducks by Ben Trovato
Puzzle explanation
Across entries read right to left, like Hebrew writing, and included letters of the Hebrew alphabet, either as unclued entries or hidden in clued entries. More Hebrew letters appeared as the last letters of the clues (which would be the initials if read right to left). The remaining two were BETH and AYIN, to be written below the grid. These were accepted whether written forwards or backwards, though there was no requirement to write them “thematically”.
The title is a conventional bingo call for 22, the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 10 | TINFOIL | TOIL around INF(o) |
| 12 | IMPALA | (AIM + PAL) with first letter moved to the end |
| 13 | ALATE | 2 meanings |
| 14 | ESTER | (RIPS STEVE) * − SPIV * |
| 16 | NUNSHIP | NUN + SHIP |
| 18 | DROVES | DRONES with V for N |
| 19 | HARD-GOT | DOG * in HART |
| 21 | DOGGY | DOG + GY(m) |
| 24 | APROPOS | (POOR SAP) * |
| 26 | POIROT | (TORI + OP) < |
| 29 | TAGMEME | AGM in (TE + ME) |
| 31 | ILLITE | TILLITE − T |
| 32 | REQUEST | REST around QUE |
| 33 | RINSE | R + IN SE |
| Down | ||
| 1 | HEARETH | E in HEARTH; ref. 1 Samuel 3:9 |
| 2 | PHLEBOTOMIST | HELP * + BO + TO + MIST |
| 3 | LAPSE | homophone of LAPS |
| 4 | ASMEAR | ME in ÅSAR |
| 5 | KLIPDAS | (SAD + P + ILK) < |
| 6 | HI-FIS | HIS around IF |
| 7 | EFTS | FT in (E + S) |
| 8 | AILUROPHILIA | AIL + OUR * + PHIL + I + A |
| 9 | STAND | 2 meanings |
| 11 | NANOGRAM | (AN < + RAM) around NOG |
| 15 | TIGER EYE | TIGER + EYE |
| 17 | HEY | HEY + DAY = HEYDAY |
| 20 | HOOTERS | (s)HOOTERS; ie, “beheaded” |
| 22 | DAY-GIRL | DARINGLY * − N |
| 23 | COG | 2 meanings |
| 25 | PELTED | PEL(t) + TIED − I |
| 26 | TENTH | TENT “H” |
| 27 | PATED | (E(urope) D(epicted)) after PAT |
| 28 | PEISE | PEE around IS |
| 30 | MAUL | (i)M(proving) (f)A(st) (r)U(nning) (S)L(av) |