Post-it Note by Tramp

Puzzle explanation

The letters shared by clues’ extra words and their answers spelt out LARKIN (in reverse). The grid represented the first verse of Philip Larkin’s poem Annus Mirabilis:

Sexual intercourse began In nineteen sixty-three (which was rather late for me) — Between the end of the Chatterley ban And the Beatles’ first LP.

The first line was traced out by letters omitted from wordplay, in the shape of a large 63. The row above that contained CHATTERLEY BAN. The row below contained PLEASE TWICE ME to indicate Please Please Me, which was released by The Beatles in March 1963. The puzzle’s title suggests “after-sex comment”.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra word Answer (omitted letters) Explanation
Across
1   NECROTOMY (COME ON, TRY) *
8   GAIR GAR around I
12   ELAPSE (E(nvisage) S(top) + PALE) <
13   CHATTER CH + AT + T + ER
14   LEY L + E + Y
15 le(N)gth BAN B + AN
16   DO(OC)E E after DO
17   E(TN)EAN E + SEA + N − S
18   ARG(U)LI GAIR * around L
20   (RE)JO(I)CE JOC(k) + E
22   PAR(L)E PARE
24   SEA(S) (goodby)E in SA
25   (NA)XOS SOX <
27   (A)IAS I + AS
28   DW(E)LL D(rew) W(on) L(ost) L(ost)
33   BUSY (BE)E US in BYE
36   T(EX)-MEX X after TIME − I
37   PLEASE SE(x) after PLEA
38 hom(I)ly TWICE TWI + CE
40   LUG 2 meanings
41   SUN NUS <
42   TANAGER TAN + WAGER − W
43   ORDERS ((Valentine’)S RED RO(ses)) <
44   TUBS STUB with letters “cycling”
45   GYROSTATS STORY * in STAG <
Down
1 (K)eep NICKAR R after (NICK + A)
2 gi(R)l EXHORTED (RED-HOT + (s)EX) *
3   CLAD LA in CD
4   RETO(UR) RE + TO
5   ORT(O)LA(N) (f)LA(g) after ORT
6   ORRE(R)Y ERRO(r) < + Y
7   MÊLÉ(E) (ti)ME; LE(nnox)
8   GAY(N)OR GAY + OR
9   ISAAC ISA + A/C
10   RENNETS TREES * around N(inetee)N
11   DE(C)IM(A)L LIME * after D
19 F(A)ther GNAWS WANG < + S
21   (IL)I(U)M IM
22   PO(S)T-WAR (RAW + TOP) <
23   EASEMENT (AS MEN TEE) *
24 chi(L)dren SUBPLOT (B + US) < + PLOT
26   SE(E)INGS SS around (EIN + G)
29   (E)YASES ESSAY *
30   (G)ETTER ET + T + ER
31   O(X)CART OC + ART
32   EXERTS EXES around RT
34   ULURU (L)ULU + RU
35   (E)ENSY EN + SPY − P
39   EGMA EG + MA
Back to 2016 menu