Listener Crossword 4535: Solution Notes
One Good Turn by Paddock
Puzzle explanation
The alternative grid, with the Group A answers replacing 24ac, 25ac and 16dn, had ATLAS instead of NIOBE in the centre. In Greek mythology, both characters were turned to stone, represented by entering STONE in their place in the grid. Entering the Group B answers to replace 7ac, 15ac and 41ac revealed the respective perpetrators PERSEUS and LATONA (aka Leto; highlighting only LATO, the Doric Greek spelling of her name, was also accepted), and OVID, who wrote about the transformations in his poem Metamorphoses.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | TWIBILL | TWI + BILL |
| 7 | PIPAS | PIP + SA < |
| 12 | GALLINULE | (GALL + ULE) around IN (burning, alight) |
| 13 | AMENE | A + MENE |
| 14 | TOASTIE | (aficionad)O in TASTIE(r) |
| 15 | BROMIDE | B + I’D in ROME |
| 18 | ELECTS | SELECT with letters cycled |
| 20 | ROUTINE | ROUTING with (on)E for G |
| 22 | LEAL | LE(th)AL |
| 23 | HOARSENS | HENS around OARS |
| 24 | PENI | PENITENT − TENT |
| 25 | BEAR | BAR around E |
| 28 | SMOOTHLY | SLY around (MOOT + H) |
| 31 | SPUR | SPURIOUS − IOUS |
| 32 | SCALENE | (A + L) in SCENE |
| 34 | OSTREA | LOST + REAL − L − L |
| 36 | EDUCATE | E + DUC(k) + ATE |
| 38 | ASHIEST | WASH − W + IE + (dye)ST(uff) |
| 39 | STING | T in SING |
| 40 | STEERABLE | (T(ravel) + E’ER) in SABLE |
| 41 | HARSH | CHARS − C + (Iris)H |
| 42 | SLICKER | SLICE around K + R |
| Down | ||
| 1 | TRADELESS | (LESTRADE with LES moved down) + (Holme)S |
| 2 | WIMBLED | W + AIM − A + BLED |
| 3 | ICER | ÉC(la)IR * |
| 4 | BINOCLE | PINOCLE with B(ackers) for P |
| 5 | LAVISH | SLAVISH − S(hocking) |
| 6 | ALOE | A + LOVE − V |
| 8 | INSETS | TWINSETS − (T + W) |
| 9 | PUTTIER | PUT + TIER |
| 10 | ALIGN | ALI G + N |
| 11 | SEEK | (HAYDN + SEEK) = homophone of HIDE ’N’ SEEK |
| 16 | DROOLED | DROO(g) + LED |
| 17 | PURÉES | (SETTER-UP − T(oas)T) < |
| 19 | TENTED | TEN + ET < + D |
| 21 | ESTRANGER | (Fo)REST, RANGER(s) |
| 24 | POACHER | 2 meanings (ref. gamekeeper, goalkeeper) |
| 26 | ASTATIC | TATI in (AS + C(annes)) |
| 27 | QUEENIE | (QUEYNIE − Y) around E |
| 29 | OLDIES | COLDIES − C |
| 30 | YOU-ALL | YO + LAU(d) < + L(iquor) |
| 33 | COSTA | CO-STAR − R |
| 35 | GASH | 2 meanings |
| 36 | ESAU | S in EAU |
| 37 | TICK | 3 meanings |
| Group A | ||
| A1 | ÅSAR | AS + A + R |
| A2 | DROLLED | D + ROLLED |
| A3 | PEAT | P + E(nraged) + AT |
| Group B | ||
| B1 | PERSE | PER SE |
| B2 | PROVIDE | PROVE around ID |
| B3 | TONAL | (repor)T ON AL(tar) |