Xword by Waterloo

Puzzle explanation

Alternative forms were accepted for several of the symbolic replacements, including some that are clearly wrong but given in the 13th edition of The Chambers Dictionary (2014 and 2016). Symbols replacing single letters were not accepted, as they didn’t “save space”. All the accepted symbols are listed below.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Symbols Answer Explanation
Across
1 & or + SCANNED (S(icilia)N + DANCE) *
4 ` or ´ (a misprint in Chambers), I GRAVESTONE GRAVEST + ONE
9 ⁁ or ˆ CARETAKER RETAKE in CAR
12 P PEASON (A + SO) in PEN
13 € NEUROLOGIST NEW + UROLOGIST − W
16 @ or O (for COATS) COATS C + O’ + ATS
18 @ MATE T in MAE
19 N THEN HEN after (pea)T
21 − TERMINUS (MUSTER IN) *
23 # JEW’S-HARP (W(ild) J(azz) + PHRASE) *
25 XL EXCEL EXC + EL
26 – DASHBOARD (ABHOR DAD’S) *
28 £ or L LIBRAN LIB + RAN
32 S PESTO PRESTO − R
33 + SURPLUS SUR(e) + PLUS
34 I JONES COJONES − CO; ref. Terry Jones
35 BC BESEE (ch)EESEB(oard) <
36 # SHARPLY SHY around (ARP + L)
37 R SARS 2 meanings
38 : COLONEL LONE in COL
39 E SEEK (ghost)S + EEK
40 ✓ TICKETY-BOO (CITY KOBE TO) *
Down
1 ⁁ or ˆ SCARE TACTICS (SARCASTIC ETC) *
2 9 CANINE I in CANNES − S
3 ★ or * STARE (len)S + TAR + E
4 ` or ´ (a misprint in Chambers) GRAVER 2 meanings
5 TP TEEPEE TEE + PEE
6 I, I EYESIGHT YES in EIGHT
7 Ð, ð or j (a misprint in Chambers) ETHOS THOSE with letters cycled
8 Ϝ, ϝ or Ϛ VAUNT V + AUNT
10 KN CAYENNE CANE around YEN
11 @ BOATER BOA + LATER − LA
14 € EUROS ROUSE *
15 L ELM L in ME <
17 O NILE ((wid)E + LIN) <
20 L NELL KNELL − K
22 − LESSON LESS ON
23 R JAMJAR (RAJ + MAJ) <
24 # HASHISH (AS + HIS) in HH
25 £ or L EXPOUND UND(é) after EXPO
26 − MINUSCULE MULE around (IN US + C)
27 D DEEPS SPEED <
29 & or + NO CAN DO KNOCKANDO − K − K
30 ' or ′ PRIMER RIME in PR
31 ♮ or y (a misprint in Chambers) NATURALIST AUSTRALIAN * − A + T
35 LO BELLOW BELOW around L
36 # NUMBERS NUMBER’S
37 ✓ STICK TICK after S(ugar)
38 : COLONY LON(g) in COY
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