Listener Crossword 4677: Solution Notes
Variety Show by Enigmatist
Puzzle explanation
The puzzle marked the 25th anniversary of the release of the Spice Girls’ debut album, Spice, on 19 September 1996. In certain down entries the letters S, P, I, C and E were repeated to form large copies of themselves, which in columns were part of hidden words SCARY, SPORTY, GINGER, VICTORIA (Beckham) and EMMA (Bunton) respectively, as shown in red here. The repeated letters were replaced by the letters (mostly clashing) from across answers and, in unchecked cells, by letters to be deduced, to make the synonymous descriptions FEARSOME, FROLICSOME, SANDY, FASHIONABLE (Posh) and WEE/SMALL (Baby) in the letter shapes. The extra letters in wordplay spelt out “only the descriptions”, so the rest of the grid was erased. Finally, GIRLS was added below the big E and a ring in the bottom-right corner to complete a depiction of the album cover. Any size and placement of these that approximated the cover, and any colours for the shading, were accepted. Also, putting the ring at the bottom-centre of the grid was accepted, in reference to the Spice Girls’ second album, Spiceworld (1 November 1997), though that featured the Earth with a ring around it, not just a ring.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| Answer (unclued letters) | Explanation [extra letter] |
|---|---|
| INBY | (f)IN(e) + B[O]Y |
| SOON | SO[N] + ON |
| I(V)Y-BUSH | I + BUYS * + H |
| MEET(S) UP | (PET EMU) * |
| APGAR | (RAG + PA[L]) < |
| FACILE | A/C in FILE |
| SOH | SO + H |
| SALEWD | AS < + LEWD |
| RATES | (SET A + R) < |
| ORAL | (m)ORAL |
| ERE | (J)ERE(miah); (th)E RE(st) |
| FRANCO | F + RAN + CO |
| TEAMS | MATES * |
| STORMBIRD | S(quall) + TO + RM + BIRD |
| KNEE-PADS | homophone of (NEEP + ADZE) |
| SEMIE | TIMES < − T + E |
| LILLS | ILLS after L |
| I(C)EB(O)UND | BEDUIN * |
| (N)U(T)S IN (M)AY | (part)Y after (US + IN + A) |
| (A)LU(R)E | (b)LUE |
| EG(G)S (O)N | EG + SN |
| U(R)L | (f)U(l)L |
| L(E)H(R) | L + H |
| IT(A)LA | (stra)IT-LA(ced) |
| A(Y)E-A(Y)E | AE + A&E |
| AY(R) | AY |
| A(I)R-SAC | BARSAC − B |
| NARRE | (N + [Y]EAR + R) * |
| (A)VENUES | VENUES |
| NOYADES | ((clo)SE DAY[T]ON(a)) < |
| ESNE | (S[H]EEN with letters cycled) < |
| APSE | (p)A(p)[E](r-)P(u)S(h)E(r) |
| IMPRESS | [D]IM + PRESS |
| NESTS | (o)NE’S T-S(hirt) |
| BESTSELLER | (BESS + TELLER) with S moved down |
| A(S)P(ORT) | MAP − M |
| SUP UP | “SUP UP” = PUS cryptically |
| OPPIGNERATE | (OPEN + GREAT PIN − N) * |
| OVERARM | (M[E] + RARE + VO) < |
| IDOL | (I[S] OLD) * |
| (VI)C(TORIA)N | C + N |
| YUCATECS | C in EUSTACY * |
| UPLEAPING | [C]OUPLE − O + APING |
| HAERE | A in HERE |
| ORDERS | D in E[R]RORS * |
| (G)I(NGER)Y | I + Y |
| GE(MMA)-CUP | G + PUCE < |
| CECITISES | ((SIT + ICE) in SEC) < |
| TRIBUTARY | TRI(m) + BUT + A[I]RY |
| BLUEWEED | BLED around (U[P] + EWE) |
| CUSHAWS | CU[T]S + HAWS |
| EARLIES | EAR + LIES |
| SYNAPSE | ([I]N SE PAYS) * |
| IGUANA | I + GUAN[O] + A |
| (ARY)AN | (m)AN(y) |
| NERVE | N + R in EVE[N] |
| LYES | [S]L + YES |