Listener Crossword 4577: Solution Notes
The Gaudy by Paddock
Puzzle explanation
The missing words in clues were phrases from the first six Inspector Morse titles by Colin Dexter. After changing LOATH at 32 across, row 9 of the grid consisted of PADDOCK and DEATH, illustrating Death is Now My Neighbour. The new entries DEATH and FLEURY anagrammed to The Remorseful Day minus MORSE, which replaced CODEX at 15 across. Codex, an acronym of Colin Dexter, was a pseudonym he used for the crosswords he set in the Oxford Times. The title of the puzzle comes from the same source as the last novel’s title, Henry VI Part 2, Act 4, Scene 1:
The gaudy, blabbing and remorseful day
Is crept into the bosom of the sea.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Missing words | Answer (unclued letters) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | CAUPS | CAP’S around U | |
| 8 | ACTA | CA < + TAX − X | |
| 12 | HUSHER | PUSHER with H for P | |
| 13 | OX-BIRD | WOX − W + DRIB < | |
| 14 | (The Dead) of Jericho | HEROIC | JERICHO * − J(oshua) |
| 15 | CO(DE)X | CON − N + X | |
| 16 | EDIFICE | (E + DICE) around IF | |
| 17 | ORBITS | (OBI + T(herapist)S) around R | |
| 20 | DINER | IN in RED < | |
| 21 | PARCHEESI | ((b)EE(r) + IS <) around PARCH | |
| 23 | PRESSFULS | PRESS + FOULS − O | |
| 26 | OHONE | ONE around HO | |
| 28 | SALSAS | (ALSO − O) in (S(kates) + AS) | |
| 30 | PADDOCK | PAD + DOCK | |
| 32 | LOATH | O in LAT + H | |
| 34 | IMPAIR | I’M + PAIR | |
| 35 | (Last) Seen Wearing | LENSES | SEEN * in L(adie)S’ |
| 36 | TERMED | RET < + MED | |
| 37 | EDGE | DREDGE − DR | |
| 38 | CYSTS | C(elebrit)Y + SITS − I | |
| Down | |||
| 1 | CHICO | CHIC + SO − S | |
| 2 | AURORAL | UR in (A + ORAL) | |
| 3 | USED | US ED(ition) | |
| 4 | PHAEIC | (HAZE − Z) in PIC | |
| 5 | FREE | RE in FE | |
| 6 | (The) Silent World (of Nicholas Quinn) | WORDLESS | WORLD * + ESSE − E |
| 7 | AXOIDS | (O + IDS) after (A + X); ref. Iain Duncan Smith | |
| 9 | CICINNUS | INN in CIRCUS − R | |
| 10 | Last Bus (to Woodstock) | TRACE | ((on)E + CAR + (midnigh)T) < |
| 11 | ADVERBS | ADVERS(e) around B | |
| 18 | BROODING | DOOR < in (BINGO − O) | |
| 19 | SEEDCASE | (SEE + CASE) around (Raymon)D | |
| 21 | PROPALE | PRO + PALE | |
| 22 | FLATLET | FLAT + LET | |
| 24 | REOPEN | OP in GREEN − G | |
| 25 | FLOURY | OUR in FLY | |
| 27 | (Service of All) the Dead | HATED | (THE + D) * around A |
| 29 | SHEDS | S(ara)H + (TOES − TO) around D | |
| 31 | KITE | KIT + (oversiz)E | |
| 33 | (The Riddle of the) Third Mile | ARMS | (A + S(uffer)) around ((ma)R(athon) + M) |