Listener Crossword 4615: Solution Notes
Ancient Mariner by Tringa
Puzzle explanation
The last letters of the extra words in clues spelt out “G K Chesterton”; the first letters spelt Wine and Water, a poem by Chesterton (set to music by Hubert Parry) in which each stanza ends with the line “(But) I don’t care where the water goes if it doesn’t get into the wine.” Answers that were forms or bodies of water were entered in the wrong places, while remaining outside a central rectangle formed by the wines MADEIRA, MALBEC, CHABLIS and ARNEIS.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Extra word | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | wedding | ALAP | À LA + P |
| 5 | RAINDROP | R(omanticist) + PIANO * around (D(istinctive) Repetition)); ref. Chopin’s “Raindrop” Prelude, op. 28 no. 15 | |
| 10 | PACIFIC | (IF + I + C) after (PA + C) | |
| 11 | AMLA | ALMA < | |
| 12 | LAKE | 2 meanings | |
| 13 | PLURAL | PL + URAL | |
| CHAMADE | (“conference call” in preamble) | ||
| 14 | RAZEE | RAZED with E for D | |
| 15 | ink | IOTA | (A TO I) < |
| 16 | THROBS | B(osons) in SHORT * | |
| 19 | FROLIC | FLIC around (R(ioters) + O) | |
| TEEN | (“young” in preamble) | ||
| 22 | neurotic | BABU | BABASSU − ASS |
| 24 | STEALE | SALE around (T + E) | |
| 26 | CYBELE | C(arelessl)Y B(rok)E L(uggag)E | |
| 29 | ILKA | ALIKE * − E | |
| 30 | Eighteenth | STICH | C in THIS * |
| 31 | Aussie | BLISTER | B-LISTER |
| 33 | AMAZON | ZAMA(n) < + ON | |
| 34 | News | AREA | ARE + À |
| 35 | YARD | YAR + D | |
| 36 | PSALTER | PALTER around S | |
| 37 | SNOWBALL | (S + BALL) around NOW | |
| LUSH | (“sexy” in preamble) | ||
| Down | |||
| 2 | LEGHORN | LEG + HORN | |
| ARNA | (“beast” in preamble) | ||
| 3 | PRIMAL | M in PRIAL | |
| 4 | FILARIAL | (AFRAID I’LL − D) * | |
| 5 | SEEDY | SEE + D(elbo)Y | |
| 6 | OOLITE | ((Dors)ET I LOO(k)) < | |
| 7 | district | WAUR | U in WAR |
| 8 | BROOKS | B + ROOKS | |
| 9 | NILE | (ey)ELIN(er) < | |
| 10 | PERRIER | (t)ERRIER after P | |
| 11 | were | ARAR | (RA + RA) < |
| 13 | ambassador | PERTURBS | (RUT + REP) < + BS |
| 17 | That | HETAIRAI | HET + AIR + AI(r) |
| 18 | SHEARER | (punter)S + HEARER | |
| 20 | ALKENES | L in AKENES | |
| 21 | SBIRRI | BIRR in SI | |
| 23 | BEAKER | BREAKER − R | |
| 25 | EISELL | E(nterprise) + I + SELL | |
| 27 | ECOD | RECORD − R − R | |
| 28 | CLASP | P after CLAS(h) | |
| 30 | embargo | SKYR | (goat’)S (mil)K (whe)Y (o)R |
| HOOD | (“covering” in preamble) | ||
| 32 | Roman | TATU | (s)TATU(e) |