Listener Crossword 4206: Solution Notes
A1 by Ifor
Puzzle explanation
Highlighted cells represent London (L on DON) and Edinburgh (ED in BURGH), connected by the FLYING SCOTSMAN rail service. Letters removed (“flying”) from clues spelt out Scots male names: Ranald, Alastair, Callum, Cameron, Arran, Finlay, Murdo, Logan, Ian. The Flying Scotsman service was once run by the LNER (24dn) and sometimes hauled by the eponymous A1 class locomotive, whose running number during the height of its fame and in its preserved state is 4472, given by the undefined and thematically-clued entries at 44ac, 7dn, 2dn.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Removed letters | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | (RAN) | OROBANCHACEAE | O + ROB + A + CHANCE * + AE |
| 9 | (ALD)ers | PUDU | PURSUED * − ERS * |
| 11 | (ALAS) | MAUDLIN | MAUD + L + IN |
| 13 | Me(T A) | IMARET | (ME + TRAI(n)) * |
| 14 | A(IR)’s | ASTILBE | A + BLISTE(r) * |
| 15 | (CALL) | MUGWUMP | MUG + W + UMP |
| 16 | SWAM | MAW’S < | |
| 18 | for(UM) | TO-TEAR | TEAR after TO |
| 19 | (CAME)lot’s | EGGCUP | EG + G(uinevere) + CUP |
| 22 | i(RON) | RADIAL | (LAR around (I + DA)) < |
| 25 | SET | (poin)SET(tia) | |
| 26 | he(AR) | SIKHS | SHEIKHS − HE |
| 28 | (RAN)ge | NONG | NON + G(e) |
| 31 | LOGE | LEGO * | |
| 32 | De(FIN)e | INDEW | D in WINE * |
| 34 | OIL | SOIL − S | |
| 37 | re(LAY) | RECOIL | RE + COIL |
| 39 | STRESS | MISTRESS − MI | |
| 40 | (MUR)ray | MAGYAR | (RAY + GAM(e)) < |
| 41 | EMEU | ME in ((swin)E (fl)U) | |
| 42 | out(DO)ing | SOOTHLY | SMOOTHLY − M |
| 44 | APTERAL | APT + (L after ERA) | |
| 46 | s(LOG)an | NEAFES | (FREE − R + SAN) * |
| 48 | REALIGN | ((a)R(r)A(n)G(e) + LINE) * | |
| 49 | Mo(AN) | MILO | MO around (w)IL(d) |
| 50 | med(IAN) | MONOCOTYLEDON | (COLONY ON TO MED) * |
| Down | |||
| 1 | OPIATES | SEPARATION * − RAN * | |
| 2 | ODA | (A(n) O(ver-the-border) D(estination)) * | |
| 3 | ANEW | AN + (E, W) | |
| 4 | NATURAL GAS | NATURAL + GAS | |
| 5 | HASP | HAS + P | |
| 6 | AUTOGENIC | (TO GAIN CUE) * | |
| 7 | ELL | (E(dinburgh) + L(ondon)) around L | |
| 8 | ENEMATA | (MEAN TEA) * | |
| 10 | URGED | DRUG * around E | |
| 12 | DISCS | DISCOVERS − OVER | |
| 15 | MORIA | -IA after MOR | |
| 17 | APE | A + PE | |
| 20 | GLOVE-MONEY | (G + Y) around (LOVE + M + ONE) | |
| 21 | USED | MUSED − M | |
| 23 | ISOMETRIC | EROTICISM * | |
| 24 | LNER | (REN + L(ondon)) < | |
| 27 | KILT | 2 meanings | |
| 29 | BELAY | BE + LAY | |
| 30 | TONE ARM | TOM around NEAR | |
| 33 | WARISON | WARN around ISO | |
| 35 | ISM | SM after I | |
| 36 | CRUEL | (CUE around R) + L | |
| 38 | OGHAM | HAM after GO < | |
| 42 | SAGO | OATS * with G for (breakfas)T | |
| 43 | TELL | (sa)TELL(ite) | |
| 45 | TAN | (triden)T AN(d) | |
| 47 | FID | IF < + (cor)D | |