Listener Crossword 4233: Solution Notes
Elementary by Wan
Puzzle explanation
Rows 2 and 11 of the grid consist of a jumble of DMITRI IVANOVICH MENDELEEV, who developed the periodic table of chemical elements.
18ac and 28ac should have been indicated as two-word answers.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Misprint | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | pen(Ce) | TABLESPOON | TABLE + SOON around P |
| 11 | (Cl)ear | VOID | V(aseline) + O + ID |
| 12 | (Ra)ts | VARMINT | RAV < + MINT |
| 13 | (Ga)ins | RITZIER | RITZ + (t)IER(s) |
| 14 | a(Nd) | PANDA | P + AND + A |
| 16 | (Mo)st | BHUTAN | BAN around HUT(u) |
| 18 | (Sn)are | SPEED TRAP | SPEED + TRAP |
| 19 | (Po)et | HORACE | (ACHE OR) * |
| 22 | t(Al)k | TA-TA | TA(rt) twice |
| 23 | (Co)il | CURL | L after CUR |
| 25 | (Ni)ck | COOLER | 2 meanings |
| 28 | (Ac)t | TOUCH WOOD | TOUCHWOOD |
| 29 | (Pu)t | FLAYED | LAY in FED |
| 32 | (Ba)cking | FIXER | (REF around XI) < |
| 33 | (Sm)others | NUCLEUS | NUS around (CLEM − M + U) |
| 34 | (Ir)on | EVINCED | (FENCE − FE + D) after EVI(l) |
| 35 | (Sc)an | HELM | SCHELM − SC(an) |
| 36 | pl(At)e | STEREOTYPE | STEE(l) arount POETRY * |
| Down | |||
| 2 | th(Re)e | AVID | AID around V |
| 3 | pa(In) | BOTHER | BOTH + RE < |
| 4 | (Br)ed | EDIT | (AIN’T BRED) * − BRAN * |
| 5 | (Li)the | SVELTER | (POST REVEALS) * − SOAP * |
| 6 | (La)cks | ORPHAN | PRO < + H(is) A(unt) + N(an) |
| 7 | (Th)atches | NINTH | (passio)N IN TH(atches) |
| 8 | s(Ta)ke | ANDANTE | A + N + D + ANTE |
| 9 | (Si)ze | STANDARDISE | STARE around (AND then DIS) |
| 10 | (Be)verage | IRISH COFFEE | (OFFICER + E(xceeds) + HIS) * |
| 15 | tre(Es) | REALTY | (LATELY with R for L) * |
| 17 | (As)tray | UPTOWN | UP + WON’T * |
| 20 | li(Fe) | OUTLIVE | VILE * after OUT |
| 21 | (Cu)e | OCCLUDE | (COLD + CUE) * |
| 24 | m(Ar)k | COERCE | COMMERCE − (M + M) |
| 26 | bo(Ne) | LONELY | (b)ONE in (SALLY − SA) |
| 27 | (Ca)bs | TAXIS | T + AXIS |
| 30 | (Te)n | ECHO | (ONCE THE) * = (TEN + ECHO) * |
| 31 | p(Ag)e | JUMP | JUMBO with P for BO |