Listener Crossword 4444: Solution Notes
Food for Thought by Handyman
Puzzle explanation
The puzzle marked the 60th anniversary of the broadcast on the BBC TV programme Panorama of a hoax report about harvesting spaghetti from trees in Lugano, in the Swiss canton of Ticino. TRUNK, BRANCH and BOUGH formed a tree shape in the grid, with SPAG/HETTI and SPAGH/ETTI hanging down in straight lines. The letters omitted from wordplay spelt out “April fool”.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer (omitted letter) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 10 | (A)MUSER | R (from RupeRt beaR) after MUSE |
| 11 | OOM(P)AH | OOH around MA |
| 12 | (R)UN DEEP | UNDÉE + P |
| 14 | MAED(I) | MADE * |
| 15 | LUGANO | LUG + (c)ANO(e) |
| 16 | PENNA(L) | PEN + AN < |
| 17 | HAUD | (Macbet)H AUD(ition) |
| 19 | ACYL | (banan)A (republi)C (prett)Y (wel)L |
| 20 | REP | PER < |
| 22 | BOARD | BARD around O |
| 23 | MEH | MEH(ndi) |
| 24 | TSAMBA | SAMBA after (ho)T |
| 27 | GET-GO | GELT − L + GO |
| 29 | STILET | ST around TILE |
| 31 | GUSTA(F) | GUST + A |
| 33 | ZILA | (region)ALIZ(ation) < |
| 34 | RISHI | IRISH * |
| 35 | C(O)STUS | CESTUS − E |
| 36 | PES(O) | PES |
| 37 | KICK IN | KICKIN(g) |
| 38 | TEMPI | TEMP + I |
| 39 | ENIAC | CAINE < |
| 40 | KERNITE | (E + RN) in KITE |
| 41 | SARSENET | (NESTS ARE) |
| Down | ||
| 1 | PARLORS | PAR + L + OR + S |
| 2 | NUNGA | NUN + GA(m) |
| 3 | REEN | (G)REEN |
| 4 | AREOLA | AREA around (SOL − S) |
| 5 | MOPPER | MOPPE(t) + R |
| 6 | ONE-MAN | ON + NAME < |
| 7 | NINEPENCE | (NE(w) + PEN) in NICE |
| 8 | FIVE-A-DAY | F + I + A in VE DAY |
| 9 | SEVEN HILLS OF ROME | (REMOVES LION FLESH) * |
| 13 | DAUB | (br)U(sh) in DAB |
| 14 | MEAD | MAD around E |
| 18 | DOMESTICS | DOME + STICKS − (tric)K |
| 21 | PSILOCIN | LOCI in (P + SIN) |
| 23 | MESH | ME + SH |
| 25 | ALASKAN | ALAN around ASK |
| 26 | AGISTER | TRIAGES * |
| 27 | GUSHERS | G + USHER + S(tate) |
| 28 | GAP SITE | GAPE around SIT |
| 29 | SZEKE(L) | ZEK in (S(cotch) E(ggs)) |
| 30 | TICINO | LATTICINO − LAT |
| 32 | TIEPIN | TIE + PIN(k) |