Listener Crossword 4401: Solution Notes
Literal Spling by Waterloo
Puzzle explanation
Every part of an answer that was a homophone of the name of a letter of the alphabet was replaced in the grid entry by the letter. The theme was applied consistently, according to pronunciations in Chambers.
For example, the pronunciation for PENNY-FARTHING, while not given explicitly in Chambers, may be deduced from PENNY = /pen'i/ and FARTHING = /fär'dhing/; the only letters “named” therein are N and R, so the entry must be P(N)YF(R)THING. Also, the pronunciation for PRESENTIMENT is /pri-zen'ti-mənt/ or /pri-sen'ti-mənt/, in which the only part that sounds like N is in the second syllable, so the grid entry was PRES(N)TIMENT. Similarly, ESSEN is pronounced /es'ən/, not /es'en/, so the correct grid entry was (S)EN, not (S)(N).
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer (homophones) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | P(ENN)Y-F(AR)THING | PENNY + (NIGHT * after FAR) |
| 9 | R(EF)T | R(eplace) E(very) F(ortification) T(wice) |
| 10 | B(AR)(GEE) | BAR + GEE |
| 12 | (AR)C | A + CR < |
| 13 | (EE)RY | EMERY − M |
| 15 | R(EF)ER(EE)S | 2 meanings |
| 16 | (OW)N | O + (W, N) |
| 17 | (ESS)EN | ESSEN(tial) |
| 18 | (TEE)(PEE) | T(h)E (d)E(e)P (h)E(r)E |
| 19 | TR(EN)T | TORRENT − OR |
| 21 | D(EAL)T | DESALT − S |
| 22 | (EL)FIN | EL + FIN(o) |
| 23 | B(AR) | BABAR − BA |
| 24 | T(EX)TS | (T(error) + S(hock)) after TEX |
| 26 | H(EN)D | HEN + (husban)D |
| 28 | P(AY)D(AY) | P + MAY DAY − (enthusias)M |
| 29 | I-SP(Y) | homophone of (ICE + PIE) |
| 31 | DR(ESS) | DURESS − (yo)U |
| 34 | MIS(CUE) | MISC + U + E |
| 36 | (ESS)(AY) | (YES A + S) * |
| 37 | TH(IGH) | (frui)T + HIGH |
| 38 | (EA)T | (p)E(d)A(n)T |
| 39 | GU(EL)FIC | I/C after (E in GULF) |
| 42 | D(EW)S | SWED(en) < |
| 43 | N(IGH) | NIGHT − T |
| 44 | AS(KEW) | WAKES * |
| 45 | W(EIGH) | WE + SIGH − (clue)S |
| 47 | G(ES)TI(CU)LATED | (DETAILS EG CUT) * |
| Down | ||
| 1 | PRES(EN)TIMENT | PRESENT + I + ME + ’NT |
| 2 | (EN)FR(EE)D | (h)EN + F + REED |
| 3 | (WIGH)T | 2 meanings |
| 4 | (EFF)ORTL(ESS) | (REST OF SELF) * |
| 5 | TR(EE) | THREE − H |
| 6 | (EYE)LET | (TELE + YE) < |
| 7 | N(EIGH)S | (TOM + NEIGHS) * = SOMETHING * |
| 8 | (DE)C(EN)TRALISED | (DISCREET AND + L(iabl)E) * |
| 11 | GR(IE)F | BRIEF with G for B |
| 12 | R(OA)N | RAN around O |
| 14 | (WI)ND | IN in WD |
| 18 | (TEE)TH | TENTH with E for N |
| 20 | R(EN) | homophone of WREN |
| 22 | L(EN)IS | SILEN(t) * |
| 23 | (BEA)D | A in BED |
| 25 | (EXC)(EL) | EX + CELLIST − LIST |
| 27 | (DEE)D | DEE + (secon)D |
| 28 | P(AR)(SEE) | PARSE + E |
| 29 | (EYE)S or (AYE)S | homophone of AYES or EYES |
| 30 | P(AR)L(AY) | PLAY around (A + R(ecruit)) |
| 32 | S(TEE)D | 2 meanings |
| 33 | N(AT)URE | NAT + (p)URE |
| 35 | QU(ES)T | REQUEST − RE |
| 39 | G(OE)S | GORSE * − R(eal) |
| 40 | F(ES)(CUE) | (r)ESCUE after F(ertiliser) |
| 41 | (SEA)W(AY) | SE + AWAY |
| 46 | (EYO)T | homophone of EIGHT |