Listener Crossword 4384: Solution Notes
XL by Harpy
Puzzle explanation
Missing clue letters gave “yon far country” (from verse XL of A. E. Housman’s A Shropshire Lad) and “fill five cells to make theme words”. A later line, “That is the land of lost content,” described the B entries as countries from which the clued word had been removed to leave another word: Uk(rain)e, Pa(kist)an, Ar(men)ia, Por(tug)al, Mal(div)es. Inserting letters in the empty central column produced S(pa)in, Co(ng)o, Hung(a)ry, Kor(e)a, L(a)os and expanded the unclued phrase LOST CONTENT to “lost cont(in)ent”. Reading down the column, these letters spelt out IN PANGAEA.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| Missing letter | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Group A | ||
| an(Y) | AINTREE | AIN’T + E’ER < |
| M(O)an | ALACK | LAC in (A + K) |
| Easter(N) | ALUMNAE | AUTUMN with L for UT + A + E |
| (F)Eel | AMBIANCE | CAME * around (BEAN with I for E) |
| (A)mounts | ANA | AN + A(rtwork) |
| (R)other | ANOA | (cle)AN OA(ts) |
| (C)over | ANTI | A1 around NT |
| cor(O)net | ANTLER | LEARNT * |
| fr(U)it | APPLAUD | APPL(e) + AUDI − I |
| s(N)ail | AT A PINCH | ATAP + INCH |
| s(T)ick | BAR | 2 meanings |
| ho(R)se | CAY | CAYUSE − USE |
| cloud(Y) | CELL | (E + LL) after C |
| (F)lying | COO | 2 meanings |
| Pla(I)n | CRENELLATIONS | (NOT + CLEAR LINES) * |
| bubb(L)y | DEBITOR | (TO BRIDE) * |
| wi(L)der | DEMENT | MEN in DET(our) |
| (F)rightful | EPILOG | (LIG(ht) OPE(ra)) * |
| fa(I)r | EVEN | NÉVÉ < |
| star(V)e | FRATE | FR + TEA * |
| cap(E) | GAMIC | GAM(e) + IS − S + C |
| (C)hanging | GERALD | LARGE * + D |
| bit(E) | HUNGRY | HUNG + RY |
| c(L)ubs | IN-CALF | IN + C + ALF |
| p(L)ace | IN RE | REIN with halves switched |
| mean(S) | KORA | KORORA − OR < |
| Gel(T) | LITAS | LIT + A’ + (debt)S |
| Go(O)d | LOS | 2 meanings |
| se(M)en | MILTS | SLIM < around T |
| t(A)inted | MONACTINE | (ACTION MEN) * |
| s(K)ipping | NOOKS | NO + (cro)OKS |
| fin(E) | ORFE | F in ORE |
| s(T)able | OX-EYE DAISIES | OX + EYE + (A1 + SIDES) * |
| c(H)amber | POKIER | PO + KIER |
| l(E)ad | RACIAL | CAR < + I’ + A + L(ada) |
| Sale(M) | ROBALO | (O + LABOR) < |
| win(E)s | SECO | (pr)OCES(s) < |
| (W)hat’s | SIN | (u)SIN(g) |
| p(O)int | SNOG | S + NOG |
| (R)Ate | VALUE | (s)UAVEL(y) * |
| bo(D)y’s | VENTRICLE | V + EN + TRICYCLE − CY |
| re(S)train | YELTS | (YET + S) around L |
| Group B | ||
| DIV | 3 meanings | |
| KIST | homophone of KISSED | |
| MEN | (si)M(pl)E(to)N | |
| RAIN | homophone of REIN | |
| TUG | GUT < | |