Listener Crossword 4455: Solution Notes
Silence by MynoT
Puzzle explanation
The phrase in the top and bottom rows is “keine Antwort ist auch eine Antwort”, which can be found in the Chambers appendix of Phrases and quotations from foreign languages. It means “no answer is still an answer”, so the “answer” for the two unclued across entries is that they have no answer and are left blank. The down entries that cross them are phrases with a space in the blank entry’s cell. The title refers to Chambers’ other interpretation of the phrase, “silence gives consent”.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Across | |
| MANASSEH | ASS in MANEH |
| OREADES | O + READS around E |
| STARTLER | (A)L(l)E(g)R(o) after START |
| GHARRI | GH(ana) + ARR + I’ |
| DEKAMETER | KA in DEMETER |
| BED | DEB < |
| DOWNTURN | TURN after DOWN |
| DURCHKOMPONIERT | (FOR HUMPERDINCK TO) * − F |
| OBEDIENT | (BONE DIET) * |
| TRY | TORY − O |
| GUIDE ROPE | (DOG + IE + PURE) * |
| MANOAO | MANO A MANO − MAN |
| TO AND FRO | (TOAD + FROG) around N − G |
| TORSIVE | TORUS − U + I’VE |
| ONCE-OVER | ON + CE + OVER |
| Down | |
| EATHE | EAT + HEN − N(eck) |
| NARRE | RE after NAR(k) |
| ESTRO | (b)EST RO(mances) |
| NEEDY | ED in NEY |
| THREAD | HATRED * |
| WORKSOP | WORKSHOP − H |
| ORCA | (Min)ORCA or (Maj)ORCA |
| TALENT | TALE + NT |
| IDE | IDE(m) |
| SEA EAR | homophone of SEE ’ERE |
| EAMONN | (NAE around NOM) < |
| SPRINT | S + PRINT |
| AD REM | ARMED * |
| IN KEY | E in INKY |
| TWO PM | OP in T(he) W(orst) M(anner) |
| DUE TO | homophone of AU after DUET |
| DOUGHT | DOUGH + ’T |
| HI-DE-HI | HIDE + HI |
| ONCOGEN | O + NCO + GEN |
| BOUBOU | homophone of BOOBOO |
| DUDISH | DUD + IS + H |
| TIPTOE | TIP + TO + E |
| LEONA | LEO + N/A |
| MANET | 2 meanings |
| ENDOW | (O + W) after END |
| RARER | E in (A in RRR) |
| RAVI | 2 meanings |
| ARC | A + RC |