Listener Crossword 4617: Solution Notes
Selfie by Sabre
Puzzle explanation
This puzzle marked the 50th anniversary of Sabre’s first Listener crossword, on 30 July 1970. The first letters of the extra words in clues spelt out “Zimmer frame, bifocals, bald pate, toothless grin, hearing aid”. The letters omitted from or added to answers in the grid spelt “replace two columns in code; add to them this puzzle’s heading”. The letters of “Selfie by Sabre” were added alphabetically to columns 2 and 12, giving “Goya’s Dos viejos comiendo sopa”, a painting of two old men eating soup.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Extra word | Answer (letter added/omitted) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | Zealand | ONE(R)OUSNESS | ONE + ROUSES around N + S(topping) |
| 9 | is | M(E)ZE | MEZ + (thre)E |
| 11 | musicians | JHALA (+P) | J + HA’ + LA |
| 13 | MIT | EXU(L) | EX- + U + L |
| 14 | eating | L(A)ME | LE around AM |
| 15 | reef | FOREREACH (+C) | FOR EACH around (ER + E) |
| 16 | film | AURIGA (+E) | A + RIG in UA |
| 17 | round | MISGO (+T) | GO after MIS(t) |
| 18 | altering | JE(W)’S-HARPS | (JE + S) around (W + SHARP) |
| 20 | Ma | L(O)LZ | homophone of LOLLS |
| 21 | engage | YALE (+C) | (rust)Y A LE(ver) |
| 23 | bribes | ALTEZA (+O) | (ATE + ZA) around L |
| 25 | Iowa | EMYS (+L) | (cam)E (fro)M (b)Y (bu)S |
| 26 | flu | RUR(U) | UR- in RU |
| 27 | O’Flaherty’s | FULL (+M) | 3 meanings |
| 30 | centimetre | STELAR (+N) | STELLAR − L |
| 33 | affecting | FEEL (+S) | FEE + L |
| 35 | leaves | CHA(I) | CH + A + I |
| 36 | shooting | OVER-REV (+N) | V after (OVER + RE) |
| 38 | Britons | HINDI (+C) | HIND + I’ |
| 39 | acoustic | MEGARA (+O) | A(i)R in MEGA |
| 41 | lurid | OCTONARII (+D) | (SEND + OCTONARII) = CONSIDERATION * |
| 42 | dales | (E)LMY | ELY around (Malha)M |
| 43 | piece | P(A)RR | P + ARR; ref. Catherine Parr |
| 44 | advertise | BOLIX (+D) | L(ev)I in BOX |
| 45 | taxes | (D)OJO | (Ca)D(iz) + OJO |
| 46 | each | YESTEREVE (+T) | YEVE around (TESTER − T) |
| Down | |||
| 1 | thickly | PLAICES (+O) | SPECIAL * |
| 2 | Otto | E(T)HEREAL | HERE in ET AL |
| 3 | overcooked | OAFIS(H)LY | ONLY with (A + FISH) for N |
| 4 | titans | SARE(E) | (track)S ARE E(vading) |
| 5 | half | NICA(M) | (IN MAC) * |
| 6 | leaving | EX(T)EMPORE | RE after (EX + TEMPO) |
| 7 | ends | S(H)ORTS | R in SHOTS |
| 8 | spawning | SMELT (+I) | MELT after S |
| 9 | sees | MEASLE(S) | ME + A + ’S + LES |
| 10 | gauging | EU(P)HON | (INSERTS + EUPHON) * = SUPERTHIN NOSE |
| 12 | reflects | LO(U)GH | SLOUGH − S |
| 19 | inebriated | RA(Z)URE | (Camb)R(idge) + AZURE |
| 22 | Newcastle | RAVINGS (+Z) | RAV + IN + GS |
| 24 | hopeful | ALCAYDE (+L) | CAY in DEAL * |
| 28 | ecstatic | UNGILT (+E) | (G(ames) + UNTIL) * |
| 29 | abducting | MEALIE (+S) | (so)ME ALIE(ns) |
| 31 | revelation | NITRO (+H) | (INTO + R) * |
| 32 | imbues | ANOMY (+E) | AÑO + MY; ref. setter Salamanca, whose first Listener crossword was also in 1970 |
| 34 | November | J(A)COPO | (A + COP) in (J + O) |
| 36 | game | (D)ODDLE | GOGGLE with D for each G |
| 37 | away | ROO (+I) | R + O’ + O(ctober) |
| 39 | in | MA(N)ET | MAN + E + (fla)T |
| 40 | done or disporting | (G)ERBE | GREBE * |