Listener Crossword 4205: Solution Notes
Murder Mystery 2 by Gos
Puzzle explanation
John Dickson Carr was a pioneer of the “locked room” genre of mysteries. Under the pseudonym Carter Dickson he wrote Nine and Death Makes Ten (also known as Murder in the Submarine Zone), which appears in the grid in a rectangular representation of a sealed room, with H.M., the popular name for his detective Sir Henry Merrivale, at the centre. Carr’s other detective, Dr (Gideon) Fell, also featured in the grid as a red herring.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | TRANSCRIPTASE | (SAT NEAR) * around SCRIPT |
| 12 | OMELETTE | (Tires)OME LETTE(r) |
| 14 | DIRTILY | DAILY with (I + R + T) for A |
| 16 | HASID | HAS ID |
| 18 | LODEN | LO(ne) + DEN |
| 19 | SAINT | (ISN’T + A) * |
| 20 | AGONE | A + GONE |
| 22 | DERM | RED < + M(easles) |
| 23 | FEUAR | U in FEAR |
| 25 | WERSH | (SHOWER − O) * |
| 26 | TASTE | TASTEVIN − VIN |
| 28 | NAIRA | N/A + I’ + RA |
| 30 | CUBLESS | BLESS after CU(t) |
| 34 | MOMENTUM | MO + MENTUM |
| 35 | DAIKO | (OK + I + AD) < |
| 37 | EATEN | homophone of ETON |
| 38 | SCREAMER | (S + AMER) around CRE(d) |
| 39 | ARNAOUT | ARNOLD with AOÛT for OLD; ref. Matthew Arnold |
| 41 | ODEUM | (Dém)ODÉ UM(brella) |
| 43 | EDDIE | (n)E(e)D(e)D (l)I(n)E; ref. singer Eddie Fisher |
| 48 | NITRO | N(ot) I(ntended) T(o) R(elieve) O(edema) |
| 51 | ALLEY | VALLEY − V |
| 53 | BLEE | BLEE(d) |
| 54 | HABIT | 2 meanings |
| 56 | BLARE | (g)ARBLE(d) * |
| 57 | AGUTI | A + GUT + I |
| 58 | EXIST | EX + IS + T’ |
| 59 | ROSELLE | ROSE + ’LL + (fad)E |
| 60 | WHITENER | (T + HER WINE) * |
| Down | ||
| 2 | RESORT | REST around OR(b) |
| 3 | ALISMA | (Seneg)AL IS MA(rsh-mallow) |
| 4 | STRIFT | ST + RIFT |
| 5 | CTENE | (E, N + ETC) < |
| 6 | REFT | RE + FT |
| 7 | IDEA | IDEA(l) |
| 8 | PILGRIMER | PILER around GRIM(e) |
| 9 | ATONE | A + TONE |
| 10 | SIDERITE | SIDER + IT + E |
| 11 | WYNDHAM’S THEATRE | (THAT’S WHERE MANY) * around D(rama) |
| 13 | MASERU | (A + SER) in MU |
| 15 | LEYS | 2 meanings |
| 17 | DAIS | DAIS(y) |
| 21 | OWN | (Br)OWN(ing) |
| 24 | UNMORAL | (L’AMOUR + N) * |
| 27 | MOAN | SAMOAN − SA |
| 29 | ANTA | ANT + A |
| 31 | LIEU | U after LIE |
| 32 | SOMHAIRLE | (HAIR + L) in SOME |
| 33 | HEST | ESTH * |
| 36 | ARETHUSA | USA after EARTH * |
| 40 | UNEASE | UNE around SEA * |
| 42 | MOB | MOB(ile) |
| 44 | DYADIC | (DAY in CID) < |
| 45 | DARE | 3 meanings |
| 46 | IBEXES | IB + EXES, ref. XX = 20 in Roman numerals |
| 47 | EL NIÑO | ONLINE * |
| 49 | INGO | INGO(t) |
| 50 | RATER | ((sec)RET AR(my)) < |
| 52 | ELCHI | EL + C(hief) + HI |
| 55 | TIER | homophone of TEAR |
| 56 | BAWD | W(omen) in BAD |