Listener Crossword 4589: Solution Notes
Progress Report by Tibea
Puzzle explanation
The initially jumbled letters, in red in the intermediate grid shown here, spelt out “last of line underneath this masthead”, referring to the final crossword in the BBC magazine The Listener, which was published on 3 January 1991. After restoration of the mutilated answers, these letters spelt “thousand and a half, The Times Listener”, marking the fact that this puzzle was the 1500th Listener crossword to appear in The Times.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Definition; clued entry | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 4 | RETROVERT | RE + TT around ROVER | |
| 12 | THOUGHTS | (24dn) ideas; LASTGHTS | L + AS + TIGHTS − I |
| 13 | SAND | (19dn) Feature of desert; OFLI | FOIL with inside letters moved to outside |
| 14 | OIL PAN | NAPOLI * | |
| 15 | AND ALL | (34ac) as well as the rest; NEUNLL | NUN’LL around (nap)E |
| 16 | DÉVORÉ | ERODED < with V(elours) for D | |
| 17 | HALFWAY | (1dn) imperfectly; DERNWAY | (YAWN + RED) < |
| 20 | AMPERAGE | RAGE after (AM + PE) | |
| 22 | IGNITION | (NO + I + TIN + G(arner) I(ll-will)) < | |
| 26 | EPITHET | (15dn) Adjective; EPIEATH | EAT around PIE + H |
| 27 | CRISIS | (IS + IS) after CR | |
| 29 | ANIMES | (17ac) Gums; ANTHIS | ANT-HILLS − LL |
| 31 | LAVAGE | (EG + AVAL) < | |
| 32 | LIST | (8dn) Fillet; MAST | MA + ST |
| 34 | LOOSENER | (33dn) laxative; LOOSHEAD | (Mi)LO O’SHEA D(irected) |
| 35 | SIDEARMER | (RED ARMIES) * | |
| Down | |||
| 1 | UTS | (29ac) First notes; ULO | (So)U(th) (Wa)L(es) (ch)O(se) |
| 2 | WHANAU | (3dn) extended family down under; WAFEEU | W + FEE in AU |
| 3 | FONDLING | (32ac) old fool; FSLURING | F(riend)S + LURING |
| 5 | EGAL | (r)EGAL(e) | |
| 6 | THALAMI | LA in MATH * + I’ | |
| 7 | OSIER | COSIER − C | |
| 8 | VELVERET | (12ac) Silky cotton; VELVEREE | ELVER in VEE |
| 9 | EXPO | (t)EX(t)P(h)O(ne); ie letters in prime positions | |
| 10 | RYA RUG | (BURGLARY − B − L) * | |
| 11 | TENEMENTS | (2dn) Multi-unit dwellings; TENEMENHS | TEN + EME + NHS |
| 15 | À HUIS CLOS | (26ac) in private; NDUISCLOS | UNDISCLOSED with first letter moved down − ED |
| 18 | FAIL-SAFE | (13ac) sure to work; NAILSAFE | NAILS + A + FE |
| 19 | PASHMINA | (15ac) Fine shawl; PASAHAEA | PA + SAHARA with E for R |
| 21 | POPADOM | POP + MODA(l) < | |
| 23 | GURAMI | (q)UAGMIR(e) * | |
| 24 | FEESED | (11dn) worried; FTISAD | FT + IS + AD |
| 25 | SIGLA | SIGMA with L for M | |
| 28 | IVY’D | DIVVY with letters cycled − V | |
| 30 | NOSE | homophone of KNOWS | |
| 33 | TRY | (18dn) effort; TDY | TIDY − I |