Listener Crossword 4671: Solution Notes
Ours by Xanthippe
Puzzle explanation
The sets of across answers were concatenated to form homophones of the real-word grid entries. Letters from the boundaries between definitions and their letter-mixture words spelt out “Walter de la Mare, James E Gunn”, two writers who produced works titled The Listeners, respectively a 1912 poem and a 1972 science fiction novel. Coincidentally, another book with the same title, by Canadian author Jordan Tannahill, was published four weeks before this puzzle. The puzzle’s title suggests the possessive phrase “The Listener’s”.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Boundary letter | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | woman (W)as | JESS | (wa)S JES(ter’s) | teaching (A)bhorrent | TICK | (sidek)ICK T(eaching) | unusua(L) one | YOU | (b)OY U(nusual) | behind (T)able | LATER | (tab)LE AT R(ear) |
| 12 | aid(E) consumed | ATE | (Dissolu)TE A(ide) | tranquillising (R)uffled | TIZZ | (f)IZZ T(ranquillising) |
| 13 | Pursue(D) race | TRACKED | (ra)CE KART D(rifts) |
| 14 | Malingerer (E)rik | SKULK | (Eri)K SULK(ing) | spira(L) recess | APSE | (insid)E A SP(iral) |
| 16 | Ruin (A)les | WASTE | (al)ES WAT(er) | reapportion (M)easures | ANKERS | (dri)NKS REA(pportion) |
| 17 | is (A)gainst | ANTI | (Cre)TAN I(s) | deselecting (R)ated | SEED | DESE(lecting) |
| 19 | rar(E) bird | STARE | (Owl)ET AS R(are) | hikers (J)udge | WEIGH | (nestin)G WE HI(kers) |
| 25 | Dice (A)re | CHEQUER | (a)RE QUECH(uan) | pierced (M)aybe | BORED | (may)BE OR D(otted) |
| 27 | Pump-handl(E) worker | BRAKE | (wor)KER AB(hors) | cheesepress’(S) rattle | PHEESE | (c)HEESEP(ress’s) |
| 29 | Recip(E) section | PIECE | (R)ECIPE |
| 31 | narrow (G)o-kart | STRAIT | (go-k)ART IS T(inny) |
| 32 | shows (U)nmanly | SISSY | (Anal)YSIS S(hows) | priso(N) ward | PARRY | (fu)RY A PR(ison) | support (N)et | TEE | (n)ET E(ases) |
| Down | |||
| 1 | SWAGED | SWED(e) around AG | |
| 2 | KAISER | (troi)KA IS ER(mined) | |
| 3 | MAGNESIUM | ((cartridg)E + IS <) in MAGNUM | |
| 4 | HOSTEL | (HOSE + L) around (ten)T | |
| 5 | TAIL | 2 meanings | |
| 6 | CACTI | C + ACTION − ON | |
| 7 | TAUREAN | TAU + RAN around E | |
| 8 | RACHIS | (RAC(e) or RAC(k)) + HIS | |
| 9 | FAT | F(or) A(sparagus) T(errine) | |
| 10 | RECODE | REC + ODE | |
| 11 | SUTURE | (homophone of EWE + (ve)T) in SURE | |
| 15 | NEGOTIATE | (GOT + I) in NEAT + E | |
| 18 | ENTWINE | (t)ENT + WINE | |
| 19 | SCOOPS | S(o) + C + OOPS | |
| 20 | CHAETA | (AT EACH) < with C moved up | |
| 21 | CUBICS | CUB + SCI < | |
| 22 | FORNIX | FOR + NIX | |
| 23 | HEARTS | HEARS around T | |
| 24 | STURDY | STUD around R(ecruits) + Y | |
| 26 | PARER | RAP < + ER | |
| 28 | KAKA | (KEA − E) + (KEA − E) | |
| 30 | AIR | FAIR − F | |