Listener Crossword 4268: Solution Notes
Check This Out by Charybdis
Puzzle explanation
The fourth paragraph of Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler (highlighted in columns 1 and 12 of the grid) ends with “he looked about as inconspicuous as a tarantula on a slice of angel food”. The ten unclued grid entries were grocery items. Group I clues each contained an extra letter; the letters spelt “unexpected item in the bagging area”. Group II answers were entered with an extra letter; in the order of the clues, these spelt “remove item”. The unexpected item was TARANTULA in column 5 of the grid, which had to be removed to reveal ANGEL FOOD “beneath”, making new words.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Extra letter | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group I Across | |||
| 11 | ca(U)se | SAAG | SAG around (diarrhoe)A |
| 15 | po(N)d | REPEATED | REED around (PEA + T) |
| 16 | cut(E) | ARCS | SCRA(m) < |
| 18 | ne(X)t | RASHES | RAS around SHE |
| 29 | (P)ace | ONER | (l)ONER |
| 30 | d(E)ad | SPAN | PA in SN |
| 34 | s(C)ouses | AURIST | A + JURIST − J |
| 40 | ra(T)ted | ASSARTED | ASS + RATED * |
| 43 | (E)state | STEADS | S(tate) + DATES * |
| 44 | change(D) | AMEND | MEN in AD |
| 47 | r(I)ot | LORDS TEMPORAL | (ROT + L(eadershi)P + EARLDOMS) * |
| Group I Down | |||
| 1 | (T)ed’s | IN-TRAY | IN + TRAY |
| 2 | mat(E) | CARPET | CAR + PET |
| 3 | (M)any | ONCE | ONE around C |
| 5 | (I)rate | PACES | (AS CEP) * |
| 6 | (N)or | CAFÉ | (mal)EFAC(tors) < |
| 7 | mo(T)oring | UNFASTEN | fanciful definition |
| 9 | bat(H)s | SLOSHES | S(purning L(ounge) + SHOES * |
| 11 | b(E)low | STAR | RATS < |
| 13 | (B)ill | RELIANT | (I LEARNT) * |
| 19 | (A)flame | AMOUR | CLAMOUR − CL |
| 20 | rid(G)er | HASPS | HAS + PS |
| 21 | (G)rand | HANDLER | HANDLE + R |
| 22 | pla(I)n | SCRAG-END | SCR + AGEND(a) |
| 23 | (N)one | ANT | ANT(i-) |
| 26 | ruin(G) | MONDIAL | ((petroleu)M + AND OIL) * |
| 32 | co(A)t | BEDELL | BED + (b)ELL(s) |
| 35 | t(R)opical | ISSUE | I + S + SUE |
| 39 | Ay(E)r’s | LADS | L(ogical) A(nalysis) D(etest) S(uperstition) |
| 42 | (A)bounding | ROMO | ROO around M(illennium) |
| Group II | |||
| 38ac | DAG | (bri)GAD(ier) < | |
| 37ac | PUL | PUL(l) | |
| 41dn | SEE | 2 meanings | |
| 27ac | NOSE | homophone of KNOWS | |
| 12ac | ANIL | ANI + L | |
| 28ac | ANS | AS around N | |
| 22ac | SAM | 2 meanings; ref. Sam(uel) Beckett | |
| 8dn | OVER | ’OVER | |
| 25ac | TWA | 2 meanings | |
| 26ac | ARC | A + RC | |