Listener Crossword 4632: Solution Notes
Heads and Tails by JFD
Puzzle explanation
The clue misprints’ wrong letters spelt out “She that in wisdom never was so frail; Othello”, from Act 2, scene 1 of the play. The next line is “To change the cod’s head for the salmon’s tail”, so all instances of C(od) in the grid were changed to (salmo)N, and vice versa. The extra words in the remaining clues gave “colour three characters and dropped cloth connecting them”, so CASSIO, IAGO, DESDEMONA and HANDKERCHIEF were highlighted.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Misprint/ |
Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | colour | SELF-PORTRAIT | STRAIT around (OF PE(a)RL) * |
| 10 | cur(S)ed: V | KUKRI | (IRK + UK) < |
| 11 | (H)and: L | SEA LAW | SEAL + A + W |
| 13 | three | MINAS | MIN + AS |
| 15 | Wad(E): I or Y | RIA | AIR < |
| 16 | s(T)eaks: P | YATTERS | (RET in STAY) < |
| 17 | peac(H): E | TREATY | TREAT-Y, ref. “trick or treat” |
| 19 | M(A)ggie: O | PET-SIT | STEP < + I + T |
| 21 | Flu(T)y: K | SEI | (IS around E) < |
| 23 | IC(I): E | THAW | WHAT * |
| 25 | (N)utters: C | SHIVS | S + (HS around IV) |
| 27 | s(W)oops: C | LADES | DEAL + S |
| 29 | characters | DEMO | (ma)DE MO(del) |
| 30 | and | CAB | 2 meanings |
| 32 | so(I)l: U | ARETHA | A + EARTH * |
| 34 | ta(S)k: L | BABBLE | BB in BALE |
| 36 | Wor(D): T | POT HERB | OTHER in PB |
| 39 | m(O)ss: I | GAL | LAG < |
| 41 | dropped | TITIS | 2 meanings |
| 42 | (M)uff: T | TERRAS | (TR + EARS) * |
| 43 | (N)eed: D | ISSUE | IS + SUE |
| Down | |||
| 1 | Se(E): A | SKARTS | S(har)K + ARTS |
| 2 | wi(V)es: N | EUOI | (f)EU(d) + (t)OI(l) |
| 3 | nav(E): Y | FRIGATE | FR + I + GATE |
| 4 | wi(R)e: N | PINOT | PINT around O |
| 5 | (W)ine: L | OMAYYAD | O + MAYDAY with DAY < |
| 6 | go(A)lies: O | TESTES | TESTS around E |
| 7 | (S)et: W | RAIT | RAIT(a) |
| 8 | plan(S): T | ALOE | A + LO + E |
| 9 | co(O)ling: I | TWISTS | (WITS after T) around S |
| 12 | New(F)ie: B | ARRIVAL | A + R + RIVAL |
| 14 | late(R): X | SAP | PA’S < |
| 18 | t(A)p: O | REAROSE | ROSE after ((radiato)R + EA) |
| 20 | Th(I)s: U | SIC | 2 meanings |
| 22 | c(L)ub: H | IDE | I’D + (spad)E |
| 24 | b(O)g: I | WEBBIER | WE + B + BIER |
| 26 | (T)ester: J | HOBBISH | OB after H + BISH |
| 27 | s(H)uffled: C | LAPITH | LA + PITH |
| 28 | cloth | SHE-OAK | (H + E(nvironment)) in SOAK |
| 31 | tr(E)e: U | BELIEF | BEL + I’ + E + F |
| 33 | Wil(L): E | ART | A(chaeans) + R + T |
| 35 | connecting | ACTIN | (Robeso)N after ACT I |
| 37 | (L)and: B | TORC | TORC(h); ref. 9dn |
| 38 | F(O)rm: I | HARD | AR in HD |
| 40 | them | AGUE | PLAGUE − (P + L) |