22SEs Square by Tibea

Puzzle explanation

The puzzle was of the now-rare narrative style (the latest example of which was Listener 3285 on 24 December 1994). Answers were words missing from the preamble and text excerpts, or words that appeared jumbled in the texts. The texts were all from the issue of The Times on the day that the Listener Crossword first appeared in it. The puzzle’s title was Times Square, which, along with the highlighted FIVE TIMES FIVE in the grid, referred to the 25 years since the crossword migrated from The Listener magazine.

The ambiguity of 35SE, which could have been RAST or FAST, was resolved by the need for FIVE in the highlighting.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Explanation
Preamble
22SE TIME (The) TIME(s of March 23)
41NE ANSWERS (other) ANSWERS (occur)
42NE EXTRA (for) EXTRA (help)
25NW LIST (in each) LIST
Excerpt 1
32SE MOE (h)OME *
21SW LISTENER (the) LISTENER (ceased)
13NW SÉRAC (Listene)R CEAS(ed) *
4SW JANUARY (publication in) JANUARY
10NW SOY (Januar)Y SO(me) *
32SE MOE (s)OME (of the) *
1SE TROUGH (readership) THROUG(h) *
5SE GANE (ch)ANGE(s) *
6SW RATIO (edi)TORIA(l approach) *
9NE MAY (this) MAY (have been)
26NE DEVOTEES (true to its) DEVOTEES
14NW TERMOR (fo)R MORE T(han) *
21SW LISTENER (the) LISTENER (crossword)
38NW DOR (Listener crossw)ORD *
22SE TIME (The) TIME(s daily puzzle)
32SE MOE (it beca)ME O(ne) *
39NW COLES (pinna)CLES O(f the) *
38NW DOR (crossw)ORD (world) *
38NW DOR (crossw)ORD (enthusiasts) *
43NE SEE SEE (it reappear)
40NE TRIE IT RE(appear) *
6SW RATIO (edi)TORIA(l team) *
24SE SUTRA SATUR(day Review) *
Excerpt 2
18SW SIMON SIMON (Barnes)
16NW BRANE (Simon) BARNE(s) *
5SW GULF (the) GULF (war)
34SW OVIST (conflic)T IS OV(er) *
40NE TRIE (ov)ER, IT (is) *
22SE TIME TIME (to start)
27NE UNIT (co)UNTI(ng) *
5SW GULF (out to the) GULF
8SW HORROR HORROR (in my heart)
7SW CONVEYER VERY ENCO(uraged) *
29SE THERE THERE (are plenty)
2SW ARE (There) ARE (plenty)
11SE FOY (plent)Y OF *
8SW HORROR (plenty of) HORROR(s)
11SE FOY (ecolog)Y OF (the) *
5SW GULF (of the) GULF
33SE FEWTER (the Gul)F WERE, T(hank) *
36SW GOD (thank) GOD
29SE THERE THERE (is, however)
12SW GREAT (a) GREAT (deal)
35SE FAST (wor)ST AF(fected) *
17SE BIEN (have be)EN BI(rds) *
12SW GREAT GREAT (cormorants)
12SW GREAT GREAT (crested)
23NW TEERS (c)RESTE(d) *
19SW EPIC (s)PECI(es) *
Excerpt 3
37NE POLICE POLICE (spend £700,000)
20SE RIOT (poll tax) RIOT
11SE FOY (on dut)Y FO(r) *
1SE TROUGH (march) THROUG(h central) *
3SW HOONS (Officer)S ON HO(rseback) *
20SE RIOT (in) RIOT (gear)
30NW SENIORS (Commi)SSIONER *
37NE POLICE (Metropolitan) POLICE
23NW TEERS (y)ESTER(day) *
29SE THERE THERE (would be)
5SE GANE (dama)GE AN(d) *
31SE ANIGHT (loot)ING THA(t) *
15SE YAPSTER (las)T YEAR’S P(rotest) *
Excerpt 4
3SE HALIERS (C)HARLES I(rving) *
25SW LETHE (C)HELTE(nham) *
39NE CHAIRMAN CHAIRMAN (of the Commons)
40NE TRIE (ca)TERI(ng) *
38NW DOR (p)ROD(uct) *
28SE NERVINE (recommendatio)N. “I NEVER *
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