Listener Crossword 4545: Solution Notes
Polyfilla by Ifor
Puzzle explanation
Down entries were formed by nesting the three-letter words from down clues. One choice of letters before or after the extra words in across clues gave “enter Russian doll”; the other choice gave “Cyrillic capitals”. The entry at 8dn was МАТРЕШКА, the Cyrillic form of “matryoshka”, but the diacritic form МАТРЁШКА was also accepted. Using the letter Ё to distinguish the vowel sound /yo/ from /ye/ is optional in Russian writing; it is formally correct to write Е for both sounds.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Extra word | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | (th)E Armada, C(onsumed) | AFEAR | (th)E in (A + FAR) |
| 5 | (giveawa)Y drugs, N(ot) | GIMME | ((th)EM MIG(ht)) < |
| 6 | (lef)T high R(ankers) | WARLORD | WARD around (L + OR) |
| 9 | (sav)E embarrassment I(n) | TABARDS | BAR in TADS |
| 10 | (disappea)R debating L(ecturer) | MET | MELT − L |
| 11 | (Skil)L flouts R(ule) | ART | R in TA < |
| 12 | (streptococc)I resisting U(nit) | REP | (st)REP(tococci) |
| 14 | (thi)S channel C(lear) | NET | 2 meanings |
| 15 | (Bow)S never C(hange) | HEADSHEETS | THESE * after HEADS |
| 20 | (Caravansera)I kitchens A(djoin) | INN | (adjo)IN N(ew) |
| 21 | (Whoo)P unlikely A(pproval) | RAH | R + AH |
| 22 | (Passio)N might I(nflame) | IRE | (f)IRE |
| 23 | (secure)D oriental T(rips) | RESCUE BID | SECURED * around BI |
| 24 | (wh)O dismissed A(ugurs) | SPAEMAN | (SPARE + MAN) − R |
| 25 | (hospita)L amid L(ocal) | SANDING | SAN + DING |
| 26 | (provincia)L sawbones S(ent) | NEIST | (SENT + I) * |
| Down | |||
| AHS | (SHAMAN − MAN) < | ||
| AIA | AA around I | ||
| ARÊTES | (SET + ERA) < | ||
| ASH-CAN | CASH + AN(d) with C moved down | ||
| BANATE | BAN + ATE | ||
| BRA | BAR with R moved up | ||
| CANDOR | ROD < after CAN | ||
| DIGS IN | DIG + SIN | ||
| FID | IF < + D | ||
| FURRED | RR in (FEUD with middle letters switched) | ||
| GAT | TAG < | ||
| HEM | 2 meanings | ||
| HEN | THEN − T | ||
| INNATE | (A TENNIS) * − S(ervice) | ||
| LAC | LAC(k) | ||
| LITRES | (b)LISTER(s) * | ||
| METRES | (EXTREMES − EX) * | ||
| MIRREN | MIRRORS + EN − (t)ORS(o) | ||
| OUR | OR around U | ||
| REE | E’ER < | ||
| RESEAT | EASTER * | ||
| SPARED | DEPARTS * − T | ||
| TESTIS | (SIT + SET) < | ||
| WISPED | WIPED around S(traw) | ||