Listener Crossword 4396: Solution Notes
The Listener Audience by Pointer
Puzzle explanation
The 13 letter substitutions used all letters of the alphabet to produce a type of soup in each column, as follows: MADRILÈNE, PALESTINE, LOKSHEN, BROTH, GUMBO, DUCK (metaphorically), BISQUE, POTTAGE, PEA, PHO, HOOSH, OXTAIL, RAMEN. The Chambers definition of “alphabet soup” is “a confusing or off-putting series or mass of strings of letters, esp the abbreviations of names of official bodies”. Accordingly, the six final unclued across entries were ASA (Advertising Standards Authority, Amateur Swimming Association or American Standards Association), SCP (Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists), BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), LTA (Lawn Tennis Association), AAA (Amateur Athletic Association, American Automobile Association or Australian Automobile Association), and TLA (Three-Letter Acronym) to describe them all. Strictly, these entries are all abbreviations rather than acronyms (words), so TLA, which was invented to be humorously self-referential, should really stand for “three-letter abbreviation”.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | HERB | HERBIE − IE |
| GER | BADGER − BAD | |
| TASMAN | TAN around SMA | |
| 2 | LIE | LIE(d) |
| NISI | (IS IN) < | |
| HALTED | (THE LAD) * | |
| 3 | PRESS | 2 meanings |
| SCAB | BACKS < − K | |
| LEME | (Litt)LE ME(moir) | |
| 4 | FRISÉE | FR + I + SEE |
| NALA | ALAN < | |
| 5 | JOULE | JOE around (U + L) |
| IZARD | (l)IZARD | |
| 6 | ILLUDE | DUELLIST * − ST |
| OMAR | M in OAR | |
| 7 | SMIRCH | CH after (SIR around M) |
| HOP | HOOP − O | |
| VINO | V + I + ON < | |
| 8 | JOEYS | JOURNEYS − URN |
| HEDER | HEDERA − A | |
| 9 | ROK | R + OK |
| ETHS | (m)ETHS | |
| HONEYS | PHONEYS − P | |
| 10 | TEF | (i)T(s)E(l)F |
| UNSHORN | (Bos)UN’S HORN(pipe) | |
| 11 | PEE | (tee)PEE |
| TEE | TEE(pee) | |
| PETE | PE(e) + TE(e) | |
| Down | ||
| 1 | MADRID | MAID around DR |
| ENEMA | (MUST + ENEMA) * = AMUSEMENT * | |
| 2 | WINEY | W + IN + (vin)EY(ard) |
| SPALES | SPA + ELS * | |
| 3 | PALLOR | (ROLL + A + P) < |
| SHENT | H in SENT | |
| 4 | FALSE | (FALSE + THIS) * = FAITHLESS * |
| ROTHER | R + OTHER | |
| 5 | JUMBO | UMBO after J |
| REEDER | homophone of READER | |
| 6 | IODIC | (per)IODIC(al) |
| KNARLS | (S(awyer) + L + RANK) < | |
| 7 | ISSUER | (RULES IS) * − L |
| JELAB | J + BALE < | |
| 8 | ELS | 2 meanings; ref. (Roya)L L(ytham) |
| COTTAGES | (ASCOT GET) * | |
| 9 | ECHE | (blu)E CHE(ese) |
| HA’PENCE | HENCE around (A + P) | |
| 10 | NIP | NIPPIE − PIE |
| HYSTERIA | (SYRIA + THE) * | |
| 11 | BAZOO | (A + ZOO) after B(ear) |
| SHEETS | THESE * + S | |
| 12 | HOF | H + OF |
| TAIL LAMP | (ILL + AM) in TAP | |
| 13 | SHEAR | SHAPE * + \ |
| AVENUE | VENUE after A | |