Listener Crossword 4554: Solution Notes
Duck by Vismut
Puzzle explanation
The theme was the French novel La disparition, which Georges Perec wrote without using the letter E, and its English version A Void, translated by Gilbert Adair. The extra letters in clues spelt out “premier auteur” and their positions as indexes into LA DISPARITION gave the anagram “slip into Adair”. Thus PEREC replaced ADAIR in the bottom row, making new words (entries containing the letters of both PEREC and ADAIR were also accepted), and giving the only occurrences of E in the grid. The title A VOID was removed from the top row, also making new words.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Extra letter | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | BASTA | BASTARD − RD | |
| 7 | IDLING | FIDDLING − F − D | |
| 12 | TABLOIDY | (A TIDY LOB) * | |
| 14 | ALLAY | ALL + AY | |
| 15 | Tur(P)in | ITALIAN | (NAIL + AT I(t)) < |
| 16 | CALLANT | CALL + ANT | |
| 18 | TRIACT | TRACT around I | |
| 19 | (R)ace | SUBATOM | A in (BUS < + TOM) |
| 20 | DISMISS | ISM in DISS | |
| 22 | RANCHO | RAN + CHO(ice) | |
| 28 | ONYCHA | ON + Y + CHA(nce) | |
| 30 | Tap(E)s | PATACAS | PATS around (A + CA) |
| 33 | PUSHPIN | SHIP * in PUN | |
| 36 | LILACS | CALL < around I + S | |
| 40 | la(M)p | APPALTO | ((G)OT LAP PA(nned)) < |
| 41 | NORWARD | DRAWN < around OR | |
| 42 | CRAZY | CRY around (A + Z) | |
| 43 | a(I)r | TARRYING | TRYING around AR |
| 44 | ILLIAD | ILL + I + AD | |
| 45 | (E)ras | RAINS | IN in RAS |
| Down | |||
| 1 | BRACT | CT after BRA | |
| 2 | stone(R) | AULARIAN | (AUSTRALIAN with R and L switched) − ST |
| 3 | SALLIS | STEVENS with (A + LL + I(ncluded)) for internal letters; ref. Peter Sallis, Wallace and Gromit actor | |
| 4 | Indian(A) | THALAMI | THALI around AM |
| 5 | VAUNTS | (VAT + S) around UN | |
| 6 | OBITS | BIT in OS | |
| 8 | A(U)nt | DOAT | (ANT − N) after DO |
| 9 | LILIAN | LI + LI + AN | |
| 10 | IDIST | I + DIT around S | |
| 11 | NYAS | (I)N (m)Y (d)A(y)S | |
| 13 | Di(T)al’s | GNOMON | ON after GNOM(e) |
| 17 | BURR | (BLUR − L) + R(ebus) | |
| 21 | ISH | (f)ISH | |
| 23 | AIT | (f)AIT(h) | |
| 24 | do(E) | HOACTZIN | HO + ACT + ZIN(g) |
| 25 | LOPING | LO + PING(-Pong) | |
| 26 | PAIR | REPAIR − RE | |
| 27 | TALARIA | T(rainer) + MALARIA − M | |
| 29 | CHOWRI | CHOW + I(vo)R < | |
| 31 | ALPINI | ALI around (P + IN) | |
| 32 | CALAMI | CALAMI(ty) | |
| 34 | o(U)r | SORAL | (di)S OR AL(lnighters) |
| 35 | NADIA | NADA around I(nside) | |
| 37 | (R)os | SOYAS | (SAY + OS) < |
| 38 | ROTL | (L + TO + R) < | |
| 39 | PARÁ | (se)PARA(te) | |