Listener Crossword 4325: Solution Notes
Christmas Break by Poat
Puzzle explanation
The theme was the Christmas truce of 1914, when British and German soldiers left their trenches (TOMMY in FOSSE and JERRY in BOYAU in the outer columns), played football and sang Silent Night together. Letters discarded from the grid spelt NO-MAN’S-LAND. Replacements in the central column gave RELIEF from BATTLE and completed the hidden thematic words CAROLS, SOCCER, SHORT-LIVED ARMISTICE and WESTERN FRONT.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer (omitted letters) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | PARCA | CAPRA * |
| 5 | BOLSHY | LOB < + SHY |
| 10 | ALTO CLE(F) | (TO CALL) * + (gam)E |
| 11 | (N)EEMB | TEEM − T + B |
| 13 | OL(O)R(O)SO | (trif)L(e) in OR SO |
| 14 | CAROTID | CAR(r)OT ID |
| 15 | PHO(T)ISM | PROUST with H(is) I(ngested) M(adeleine) for R-U-T |
| 18 | PHLEG(M)Y | PARTY with (H + LEG) for ART |
| 19 | (J)OWS | OW + S |
| 20 | HORT(A)TIVE | TORT + HIVE with initial letters swapped |
| 23 | AG(N)A(M)ED | (reg)GAE in (A + D) |
| 25 | SEVILLE | SEVE around ILL |
| 27 | (S)MALL ARM | MALLARD with M (1000) for D (500) |
| 30 | T(R)ICEP | TIC + EP |
| 32 | TERAI | (Manches)TER AI(rport) |
| 33 | E-(L)A(Y)ER | EAGER − G |
| 35 | SHALLOWL(Y) | (L + O’ + W) in SHALL |
| 36 | STERN(A)L | (scalpe)L after STERN |
| 37 | (S)ERKALI | R in (I LAKE) < |
| 38 | SIDEMA(N) | SALSA with IDEM for ALS (ref. 2dn) |
| 39 | ERGATANER | (GEAR NEAR + (shif)T) * |
| 40 | (D)ON(U)TS | ON + T(althybiu)S |
| Down | ||
| 1 | PARASOL | PARASITE − SITE + SOL(d) |
| 2 | ALS | AL’S |
| 3 | COCO | 2 meanings; homophone of COCOA |
| 4 | ACCITE | CC in (A + ITE(m)) |
| 5 | BLAST | B + LAST |
| 6 | LOOP | POOL < |
| 7 | SITHE | (wa)S IT HE(lpful) |
| 8 | YEDE | (m)Y (troubl)E (an)D (strif)E |
| 9 | ALL-WEATHER | WALL-HEATER with W and H moved |
| 12 | MAGILP | L in ((Durha)M + A + GIP) |
| 16 | HOG | 2 meanings |
| 17 | MISSISH | M(ag) + ISS(ue) + ISH |
| 20 | HALAL | HAL around LA |
| 21 | DICER | DICE + R |
| 22 | CLEANEST | NEST after C(u)L(-d)E(-s)A(c) |
| 24 | AREOLAE | ARE around ALOE < |
| 26 | VISÉING | (VIGENÈRE IS − ERE) * |
| 28 | ATLATL | ATL + ATL |
| 29 | TALLET | E in (TALL + T) |
| 30 | TATSOI | (bacter)IOSTAT(ic) < |
| 31 | LARGS | LARG(e) + S |
| 34 | ELMY | ELY around M |