Listener Crossword 4349: Solution Notes
Black or White by Pilcrow
Puzzle explanation
The letters omitted from wordplay gave POPE and FRANCIS. Five of the unclued entries are homophones of powers of 2 (cardinal numbers): 1 = WON, 2 = TOO, 4 = FORE, 8 = EYOT, 16 = SIXTINE (a variant of “Sistine”, from the name of Pope Sixtus IV who restored the Sistine Chapel in the 15th century). The other two are the names of correspondingly numbered popes JOHN PAUL (I and II) and BENEDICT (XVI). The title refers to the colour of the smoke emitted from the Sistine Chapel during the election of a pope by the College of Cardinals, signifying failure or success in electing a new pope.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Misprint | Answer [unclued letters] | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 9 | (L)ower | UNDERFLOOR | FLOUNDER * + OR |
| 10 | bo(O)st | RAP | PAR < |
| 13 | E[F]TSOONS | (O + STONES) * | |
| 14 | cha(R)ged | ION | IRON − R |
| 15 | Lea(D)er | KAISER | KAIS + ’RE < |
| 16 | (M)as | GÎTE | IT in GE |
| 17 | (A)ward | OSCAR | O’ + SCAR |
| 20 | li(K)e | ALSO | ’S in ’ALO |
| 23 | b(E)ast | ADDAX | A(wful) D(in) D(rowning) + AX |
| 24 | (M)aster | EXARCH | R in (AXE < + CH) |
| 25 | OM[R]AH | OMAH(a) | |
| 26 | [P]HOT[O] | HOT | |
| 28 | Re(E)ds | PAPYRI | (PAP + I) around RY < |
| 29 | Shi(A)s | ISLAM | I + S + LAM |
| 30 | i(N) | NISI | (I + SIN) < |
| 32 | r(I)ng | GRAPO | GO around RAP |
| 33 | pla(N)s | IAGO | I’ + A + GO |
| 36 | [A]GE-OLD | GEOID with L for I | |
| 39 | mar(S)h | SOG | S + GO < |
| 40 | ho(T) | BLOWLAMP | BLAM(e) around LOW + P |
| 41 | (R)ating | ELO | OLÉ < |
| 42 | [N]OOGENESIS | O(rinoco) + (O + IS) around GENES | |
| Down | |||
| 1 | geni(U)s | JUNIOR OPTIME | I in JUNO + ROP(e) + TIME |
| 2 | ON[C]OSTMAN | OMAN around (NO + ST) | |
| 3 | (M)ull | NEUK | NE + UK |
| 4 | m(E)ans | AFFIDAVIT | (n)AFF + DAVI(d) in IT |
| 5 | retai(N) | LOSE | E after LOS |
| 6 | (T)rack | FROG | FOG around R |
| 7 | ORN[I]S | OR + N, S | |
| 8 | T(O)rn | RAST | TSAR < |
| 11 | [P]S[E]PHOLOGIST | L in HOOPS * + GIST | |
| 12 | (F)ord | IN-CAR | (Arche)R after INCA |
| 18 | ADAY[S] | YADA (yada yada) < | |
| 19 | Lad(Y) | NEWSWOMEN | OMEN after (NE + WSW) |
| 21 | fl(O)w | LAHAR | HA in LAR |
| 22 | f(U)lly | OCTAPODIC | (CIA < around POD) after OCT |
| 27 | Stee(R)s | OMASA | AS in (A + MO) < |
| 31 | (P)olar | IGLOO | (I + O(bjective)) around GLO(w) |
| 34 | D(E)ftly | ABLY | LAY * around B |
| 35 | Go(A)ns’ | OONT | ONTO * |
| 37 | trea(C)le | GLOB | LOB after G |
| 38 | po(E)t’s | DUED | homophone of DUDE |