Listener Crossword 4505: Solution Notes
Wiggles by Sabre
Puzzle explanation
The letters in the centre cells of the Squares spelt out “Caesar-shift pairs”. The unclued Square entries were shifted alphabetically to give the unclued Octagon entries: KERNE → GANJA, TERRA → GREEN (two synonyms for “grass”), BEEFS → ADDER, FREUD → COBRA (two types of snake). The centre letters of perimeter Octagons spelt out “Natrix natrix”, the Linnaean name for the grass snake species.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Squares, Octagons | ||
| 1 | TRASH | (ex)TRA SH(erbet) |
| 2 | PECAN | PEN around CA |
| 3 | PRANG | (s)PRANG |
| 4 | AERIE | A + ERIE |
| 5 | SHADE | SHE around AD |
| 6 | NIXER | NICER with X for C |
| 7 | PANES | AN in PES |
| 8 | BERNE | BEE around RN |
| 9 | ELIDE | LIDE after E |
| 10 | DIANA | (AN + AID) < |
| 11 | DENCH | (gol)DEN CH(ain) |
| 12 | GELID | homophone of JELLIED |
| 13 | KABUL | KL around (A + B + U) |
| 14 | DEFER | DEFENDER − END |
| 15 | NUGAE | (EA + GUN) < |
| 16 | RICER | (RICER + US) * = CURRIES |
| 17 | TALIB | LIB after TA |
| 18 | RUMPS | (T)RUMP’S |
| 19 | AGATE | A in (AG + TE) |
| 20 | BARRE | BARE around R |
| 21 | METIF | MET + IF |
| 22 | XHOSA | (se)X + HO + SA |
| 23 | CAECA | E in CACA |
| 24 | GIGAS | 2 meanings |
| 25 | RETCH | (THE + C(ontaine)R) * |
| 26 | BOILS | B(urn) + OILS |
| 27 | STAGE | (GETS A) * |
| 28 | APISH | (ch)AP IS H(ugging) |
| 29 | CLEAN | C + LEAN |
| Wiggles | ||
| 2 | CAPA | C + A + P + A |
| 7 | SPREAGHS | (GRASP HE’S) * |
| 7 | SNAKE FENCE | KEF in (CAN SEEN) * |
| 9 | LIEBFRAUMILCH | (RUM EACH IF BILL) * |
| 14 | EFS | (thi)EF S(tole) |
| 15 | GURRAH | RUG < + R + A + H |
| 19 | ATABEG | A + TAB + EG |
| 21 | FERRET-BADGER | FERRET + BAD + GER |
| 27 | TAIPAN | TAI + PAN |
| 27 | TEA GARDEN | (GREAT DANE) * |