Listener Crossword 4378: Solution Notes
Present Day by Horvendile
Puzzle explanation
The Playfair code phrase was PACKING BOXES. Where the first pair of an entry overlapped the 5×5 square, the uncoded letters had to appear one place to the left or above, eg WY from 41ac could be entered in cells 40 and 41. Similarly, a final overlapping pair could be entered as the last and first letters of the row or column, eg IP from 23 gave P...I for the top row. VU from 40 and UG from 45 gave the same letter in cell 45, so G had to appear in the same column as V, and so on. The unclued entries were types of box: CANISTER, SOLANDER (a box in the form of a book), KIST (an ancient Greek or Roman wooden box for holding ritual utensils), SHOE (a box-like device for dispensing playing-cards singly).
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | CHIRRE | C + HIRE around R |
| 11 | ESCUDO | ESC + UDO |
| 13 | SPADER | SPAR around (Gi)DE(on) |
| 16 | DISGRUNTLE | GUILD(en)STERN * |
| 17 | IFNI | IF + IN < |
| 18 | SAGA | S + AGA |
| 19 | TELEVISION | (SOVIET LINE) * |
| 20 | HAEREMAI | (I’M HERE + AA) * |
| 21 | AFTERS | (r)AFTERS |
| 23 | WHIP | W + HIP |
| 25 | ALUN | ((Be)N ULA(mhie)) < |
| 27 | STEREO | STERE + O’ |
| 29 | BORATE | BORE around AT |
| 30 | LOOSEN | LOO + SEN |
| 31 | FINSKO | (SKIN OF) * |
| 33 | SHTETL | SH + TET + L |
| 36 | LIAISE | LIE around AIS |
| 37 | SAKE | S + AKE |
| 41 | WYCH | (willo)WY CH(erry) |
| 44 | FLITCH | FLIT + CH |
| 45 | UGANDANS | (GNU + AND AS) * |
| 46 | PONTICELLO | (P + MONTICELLO) − M |
| 48 | DUES | DUPES − P |
| 49 | DORS | 2 meanings |
| 50 | MINUTE HAND | (AND HIT MENU) * |
| 51 | RENTED | TENDER * |
| 52 | IODATE | I + DO < + ATE |
| 53 | CHÈVRE | CHÈRE around (jan)V(ier) |
| Down | ||
| 2 | SEA BAT | SEAT around AB |
| 3 | LIGATURE | LURE around (I + GAT) |
| 4 | QUEUES | homophone of CUES |
| 5 | ABELIA | ABE(t) + AIL < |
| 6 | OILERY | BOILERY − B |
| 7 | UNTUCK | UNSTUCK − S |
| 8 | SIMI | SIM + I |
| 9 | DESISTENCE | (STEED SINCE) * |
| 10 | LEAN | 2 meanings |
| 12 | GODIVA | GO + DIVA |
| 14 | ACETIC | (CITE + CA) < |
| 15 | HOGTIE | HOG + TIE |
| 20 | DAFTAR | DR around (AFT + A) |
| 22 | KENSINGTON | KEN + SING + TON |
| 24 | ASCI | SAC * + I’ |
| 26 | DUDEEN | DUDE + (v)EN(t) |
| 28 | ERST | VERST − V |
| 32 | BASEHEAD | ABASHED * around E |
| 33 | ’SBLOOD | (SB + FLOOD) − F |
| 34 | REUTER | REFUTER − F |
| 35 | FROLIC | FLIC around RO |
| 38 | WEIRDO | WEIR + DO |
| 39 | WAMPUS | WAS around (M’ + UP <) |
| 40 | VULNED | (DEN + LUV) < |
| 42 | AXISES | (SEA around SIX) < |
| 43 | GADGET | GAD + GET |
| 46 | YORE | Y + ÖRE or ØRE |
| 47 | ILEA | I(ntestina)L E(nter)A |