Listener Crossword 4534: Solution Notes
A Secret Unlocked by Harribobs
Puzzle explanation
According to Herodotus, Histiaeus, formerly king of Miletus, who was unhappy at being transferred to Susa by Darius I, sent a message to his son-in-law Aristagoras, encouraging him to revolt against the Persians. To keep the message secret, Histiaeus tattooed it on his servant’s shaved head, and sent him out once the hair had grown back. Aristagoras shaved the servant’s head again to reveal the text. The episode is an early example of steganography, where a secret message is hidden within another medium, and so is unsuspected.
The letters cut from 34 answers spelt out “use template and note what hair conceals”. The 169 letters of the preamble’s introductory text were overlaid on the filled grid, wherein the cells corresponding to the letters of HAIR in the text revealed the message “Aristagoras, revolt against Persians, Histiaeus”. The final letters of the other 13 clues spelt STEGANOGRAPHY.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer (omitted letter) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | PORTAG(U)E | PORT + AGUE |
| 6 | RACI(S)TS | R + IS in ACTS |
| 11 | ACHILL(E)S | ACE around HILL + (Olympu)S |
| 12 | STOA | S(pend) T(ime) O(ver) A(t) |
| 13 | SKINTIGH(T) | (KIN + (employmen)T) in SIGHT |
| 14 | ORRA | (ARROW − W) < |
| 16 | HEIRL(E)SS | (E + IRL) in HESS |
| 17 | AVOIR | À VOIR |
| 18 | KLI(M)T | MILK < + T(exaco) |
| 21 | GLENDA | DEALING * − I |
| 22 | I(P)PON | (N)IPPON |
| 23 | (L)USTRUM | LUST + RUM |
| 27 | ARSEN(A)L | (busines)S in ARENA + (Whitechape)L |
| 28 | RASH | R + HAS * |
| 29 | (T)IBETAN | BETA in (TI + N) |
| 34 | G(E)SSO | G + ESSO |
| 35 | T(A)RTAN | TAR + TA + N |
| 36 | U(N)SHROUD | ROUNDHOUSE * − E − O |
| 39 | MUCI(D) | MUD around (hya)CI(nth) |
| 40 | SOCRATES | SOC + RATES |
| 41 | MANE | MANSE − S |
| 42 | STATUTE | UT in STATE |
| 43 | NAIL GU(N) | (UGLI in NAN) < |
| 44 | PALISAD(O) | PAL + IS + ADO |
| Down | ||
| 1 | PASSA(T)A | PASS + AT + A |
| 2 | OCK(E)R | (d)OCKER |
| 3 | T(W)INKIE | TIE around WINK |
| 4 | ALT(H)ORN | THOR after (A + L) + N |
| 5 | GL(A)IR | GARLIC * − C(orm) |
| 7 | ATWI(T)TER | ATTEMPTER with WIT for TEMP |
| 8 | CO(H)ORT | CO + (s)HORT |
| 9 | TORSION | TORSI + ON |
| 10 | SEASON(A)L | (SEA SNAIL − I) around O |
| 12 | SHEILA | SHE + (g)I(r)L + A |
| 15 | COLT(I)SH | (LT + HIS *) after CO |
| 19 | LAPIS | (P in SIAL) < |
| 20 | OPE(R)ATE | O + REPEAT * |
| 23 | (C)URCUMIN | CU + CUMIN after R |
| 24 | SATSUMA | A after (SAT + SUM) |
| 25 | (O)UTGOING | 3 meanings |
| 26 | MISUSE | (MISS around U) + (th)E |
| 30 | E(N)THRAL | (NTH RA) in EL |
| 31 | TRIATI(C) | OBSTETRICIAN * − BONES * |
| 32 | ANIS(E)ED | (A + SEED) around NI |
| 33 | N(A)RIAL | (AIR in LAN) < |
| 37 | OCTA(L) | (geo)LOCAT(ion) * |
| 38 | VE(S)TA | A(ccessories) after VEST |