Listener Crossword 4317: Solution Notes
Only Connect Two by The Tall’n
Puzzle explanation
The grid treatments are variants of the rounds in the BBC2 quiz show Only Connect. In rows 1 to 4, the unclued word combines with the other two to make a pair of terms that overlap: TOR: consultor/toreros, SAURY: dinosaury/rypeck, LAND: Idola/land agent, ICON: Indic/conceded. Sequential triplets are suggested in rows 6 (game, set, match), 8 (Greek alphabet), 9 (branches, trunk, root) and 12 (birdie, par, bogey). In the middle three columns entries are moved to form a sequence of six royal houses: Lancaster, York, Tudors, Stuarts, Orange, Hanover. Vowels are removed from answers to paired clues to give grid entries: 40ac crwth, 51ac hymns, 23dn tygs, 39dn brrrs, 40dn cwms, 44dn spry.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | CONSUL | COLUMNS * − M |
| 7 | EROS | SORE < |
| 11 | DINO | (O + NID) < |
| 12 | PECK | 3 meanings |
| 13 | IDO | I DO |
| 15 | AGENT | A + GEN + T |
| 16 | IND | IN + D |
| 18 | CEDED | homophone of SEED + D |
| 19 | AARON | (NORA + A) < |
| 20 | ARGOS | SORA < around G |
| 24 | CRAPS | RAP in CS |
| 28 | COPY | P in COY |
| 29 | PROFIT-SHARING | (FOR THIS) * in PARING |
| 31 | ETA | ATE < |
| 34 | IOTA | IO + TA |
| 36 | RAMI | (I + MAR) < |
| 38 | GRUB | BURG < |
| 40 | CREWE | CREW + E | TEE-HEE | TEE + homophone of HE |
| 43 | OOSE | OE around OS |
| 45 | MAROR | (MAORI − I) around R |
| 46 | VAPOUR | VA + POUR |
| 48 | MEW | 2 meanings |
| 49 | TERROR | T’ + ERROR |
| 50 | STREEKS | REEKS after ST |
| 51 | HIYA | H(ammer) I(mpertinent) Y(outh) + A | OMINOUS | (IN + O) in SUMO < |
| Down | ||
| 2 | OIDIA | O + I +AID < |
| 3 | SOLDO | D in SOLO |
| 4 | USAIN | USA + IN |
| 5 | LAN | LA + N |
| 6 | TUARTS | (RATS * + UT) < |
| 7 | ÉPÉE | E + PEER − R |
| 8 | REND | END after R(epair) |
| 9 | OCTET | O/C + TET |
| 10 | SKID | SKI’D |
| 11 | DIDAPPER | DA in DIPPER |
| 14 | OVER | 2 meanings |
| 17 | ORANGE | O’ + RANGE |
| 21 | SCROG | SOG around CR |
| 22 | GOITRE | IT in GORE |
| 23 | AITU | (P)A(r)I(s) T(o)U(r) | YUGAS | Y(o)U + GAS |
| 25 | ROAM | homophone of ROME |
| 26 | AFT | F in AT |
| 27 | TAIKO | KO after TAI |
| 30 | HAN | HAND − D |
| 32 | TARGET | (GE + T) after TAR |
| 33 | CASTER | (RET + SAC) < |
| 35 | AUBURN | AU + BURN |
| 37 | THRAE | THAE around R |
| 39 | BEERIER | BIER around E’ER | RÉSEAU | SURE * around EA |
| 40 | COOEE | OO in CEE | AWMOUS | (br)AW MOUS(tache) |
| 41 | TAPE | (r)EPAT(riates) < |
| 42 | DORS | DO(e)RS |
| 43 | YORK | ROY < + K |
| 44 | AESOP | A + POSE < | AIRY | AY around IR |
| 47 | OOM | (b)OOM |