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
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