Listener Crossword 4236: Solution Notes
Oh No! Not Another Playfair by Mordred
Puzzle explanation
The Playfair code phrase is WORDPLAY GIVES FUN. The explanation of the Playfair cipher was a red herring, as nothing needed to be encoded or decoded.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | PRESS-UP | PRE + PUSS < |
| 6 | SPADES | PASSED * |
| 10 | RENT | 2 meanings |
| 12 | PINYIN | PLINY − L + IN |
| 13 | ELIAD | DELIA with D moved |
| 14 | HOURS | BOTH − BOT + OURS |
| 16 | OVERWORD | OVER + WORD |
| 17 | PAPAW | PAP + (W + A) < |
| 19 | PLAYGIRLS | PLAY GIRLS; ref. characters in Chekhov play |
| 21 | ENLEVÉ | E + (R L STEVENSON) * − SNORTS * |
| 22 | FUSAIN | FIN around USA |
| 25 | SNOOLED | ’S + NED aroud LOO < |
| 27 | SUDDEN | SUDD + E(gyptia)N |
| 29 | EYRIES | (EYRE + ’S) around I; ref. Jane Eyre |
| 31 | DISPARAGE | DIS + PAR + AGE |
| 34 | AGOGE | (s)A(n)G (s)O(n)G + E(xtra) |
| 35 | DAMASSIN | DIN around (A + MASS) |
| 37 | LAIRS | LAIRDS − D |
| 38 | ADDAX | ADD + A + X |
| 39 | SQUARE | 2 meanings |
| 40 | EWES | SEWE(d) < |
| 41 | UPSWAY | UPS + WAY |
| 42 | KEENERS | KEEN + ERS |
| Down | ||
| 1 | PRIORESS | TESS with PRIOR for the first letter; ref. Matthew Prior, Tess of the D’Urbervilles |
| 2 | REEVE | RE + EVE |
| 3 | STIRPES | R in STIPES |
| 4 | SPAWL | (L + WAPS) < |
| 5 | UNDO | GUN DOG − G − G |
| 6 | SPOD | S(tudy) P(hilosophy) O(f) D(escartes) |
| 7 | PIUPIU | PIÙ + PI + U |
| 8 | DYSPLASIA | (PA SADLY IS) * |
| 9 | SNOWY | NO in SWY |
| 11 | CHRYSOPRASE | homophone of (CHRIS + APPRAISE) |
| 15 | BASIS | BASINS − N |
| 18 | GLADIOLUS | GLAD + IO + LUS(h) |
| 20 | AEON | AE + ON |
| 22 | FLEA | (A + ELF) < |
| 23 | NOSINESS | (NO SINS) around (Thund)E(rbird)S |
| 24 | JUDGE | JUDE around G; ref. last epistle in New Testament |
| 26 | DRESDEN | D + (p)RES(i)DEN(t) |
| 28 | EPEIRA | (EPEIRA + DRAGO) * = (A GO REPAIRED) * |
| 30 | LASSU | (koa)LA’S SU(re) |
| 32 | GADGE | GAD + EG < |
| 33 | FIXER | (X + FIRE) * |
| 35 | DREY | YERD < |
| 36 | MAZE | AZ in ME |