Listener Crossword 4619: Solution Notes
Artistic Licence by Serpent
Puzzle explanation
The extra words and letters in clues spelt out “His locale was Celtic and his season spring” and “United States v. One Book Called …”. The former was a statement by Judge John M. Woolsey in the latter case in 1933, ruling that Ulysses by James Joyce was not obscene.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Extra letter/word | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | s(H)am | SAMPLE | PLE(a) after SAM |
| 6 | marr(I)ed | CRITIC | CIRCUIT * − homophone of YOU |
| 10 | lo(S)ses | OVERT | (c)OVERT |
| 11 | (L)overs | HOVE TO | HO + VET + O |
| 12 | (O)pinions | ROUTINE | ROUTE around IN |
| 13 | a(C)t | PRATT | (R(ead) + AT) in PT |
| 15 | (A)void | ESTRO | MAESTRO − M(ultimedi)A |
| 17 | S(L)ide | OBVERSE | VERBOSE * |
| 21 | c(E)ases | MAINE | MEN * around (p)AI(n) |
| 22 | (W)as | TSARINA | (IRAN AS) * after (conflic)T |
| 23 | p(A)ins | OBSCENE | (ONE around CE) around (B + S) |
| 25 | New(S) | NOVEL | 2 meanings |
| 27 | (C)loser | SLOBBER | LOSER * around BB |
| 28 | Hym(E)n | PSALM | S in PAL + M |
| 30 | b(L)inding | RAZOR | ZO in RAR(e) |
| 34 | (T)ill | RECEIPT | ((l)E(f)T + PRICE) * |
| 35 | mov(I)e | TRAVEL | (plo)T + RAVEL |
| 36 | (C)oral | FLORA | (ORAL + (ree)F) * |
| 37 | (A)base | SENATE | N in SEAT + E |
| 38 | me(N) | SEEMED | SEED around ME |
| Down | |||
| 1 | pow(D)er | SOAP | (P + O + AS) * |
| 2 | (H)ave | AVER | AVE + R(ogue) |
| 3 | (I)mage | MEGA | MAGE * |
| 4 | re(S)t | PRETENCE | PENCE around RET |
| 5 | I(S) | EGOIST | EGO + I + (boa)ST(ful) |
| 6 | envelop(E)s | CHUSE | (Dit)CH USE(less) |
| 7 | Sp(A)in’s | ROTE | ROTATE − TA |
| 8 | brighten(S) | TENTH | (brigh)TEN TH(e) |
| 9 | (O)pens | CORONAL | (C + ORAL) around ON |
| 14 | rese(N)t | TREES | RESET * |
| 16 | (S)ettle | RANEE | RAN + E(ttl)E |
| 18 | (P)raising | BABAS | ABBA’S with B moved up |
| 19 | consume(R)s | MANOR | NO in MAR |
| 20 | bas(I)s | PROBABLE | PRO + BABBLE − B |
| 21 | k(N)eeling | MOPPETS | STEM < around POP * |
| 24 | run(G)s | ELOPES | SEE < around LOP |
| 26 | (UNITED) | PAEAN | PA + (t)EA(m) + N |
| 27 | (STATES) | SMILE | MILES with letters cycled |
| 29 | (V)indicated | MEET | M(onarchy) (c)E(lebrating) (th)E(ir) (nup)T(ials) |
| 31 | (ONE) | ZOOM | (M + O’ + OZ) < |
| 32 | (BOOK) | OGRE | GO < + RE |
| 33 | (CALLED) | READ | homophone of RED |