Listener Crossword 4678: Solution Notes
Bleak Expectations by Mira
Puzzle explanation
Corrections to misprints in clues spelt out “Do you expect me to talk?” and “No, Mr …, I expect you to die”, an exchange from the film Goldfinger where James Bond is strapped down to a table with a laser about to slice him in half. In the grid, all occurrences of the letters of BOND formed a stick figure, with LASER in the central column pointing up to him. The puzzle’s title and clues contained several references to the works of Charles Dickens, which were red herrings.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Misprint/ |
Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | (D)ining | MESSMATES | MESS + STEAM * |
| 8 | lo(O)k | GAWP | G + W in AP |
| 11 | pa(Y) | AMORTISE | ROESTI * after MA < |
| 12 | Wh(O) | STEED | SEED around (servan)T; ref. Great Expectations |
| 13 | Brut(U)s | NOBLEST | NO + BLEST; ref. Julius Caesar Act V sc. 5 |
| 15 | Her(E)ford’s | ERS | ((Hereford’)S RE(past)) < |
| 16 | a(X)es | EDGELESS | (ED’S GLEE + S) * |
| 17 | (P)udding | SAUTERNES | (USES A) * around TERN |
| 21 | Leeford | INQUIET | E(d) in (IN + QUIT); ref. Edward Leeford, Oliver Twist |
| 23 | s(E)aman’s | UPHROE | ((r)OPE (t)HRU) * |
| 24 | (C)hores | IDLEST | L in ID EST |
| 25 | (T)ype | ICE SPAR | ICES + PAR |
| 30 | (M)ummy | PRESERVER | PR + E + SERVER |
| 32 | Endell | GEAR-CASE | AGREES * around CA; ref. Martha Endell, David Copperfield |
| 33 | bit(E) | ASP | 2 meanings |
| 35 | pa(T)er | ELECTRA | ELECT + RA |
| 36 | Sowerberry | EISEL | (EELS + I) *; ref. Oliver Twist |
| 37 | B(O)z’s | CRUMMLES | (MR MUSCLE) *; ref. Nicholas Nickleby |
| 38 | no(T) | SHES | BANISHES − BANI |
| 39 | (A)lone | ASHRAMITE | (THE RAM IS A) * |
| Down | |||
| 1 | (L)aid | MISE | MISER − R; ref. A Christmas Carol |
| 2 | Rouncewell | ESTRAY | WESTRAY − W; ref. Bleak House |
| 3 | Ma(K)es | SEES | 2 meanings (plural of C) |
| 4 | G(N)ats | SKEETERS | (SEEK REST) * |
| 5 | h(O)ard | MADGES | MAD + SEG < |
| 6 | ga(M)bling | AMBER | BER(ber) after (A + M) |
| 7 | (R)andy-making | EROGENIC | OGEN in ERIC |
| 8 | Ko(I) | GILLS | 2 meanings |
| 9 | Augustus | WESSI | W(ardl)E + S(nodgras)S + I; ref. The Pickwick Papers |
| 10 | m(E)wer | PET-SITTER | (TT + E) in ((gr)E(en) + STRIP) * |
| 14 | Wa(X) | EERIER | ERIE in (Wat)ER(loo); ref. museum in 1953 film |
| 17 | (P)ads | SQUILGEES | (ELSIE + GUS) * around Q |
| 18 | M(E)at’s | NITRE | (u)N(d)I(s)T(u)R(b)E(d); ref. 30ac |
| 19 | (C)laws | CHELAE | CH + (E + ALE) < |
| 20 | Sta(T)es | BEAR ARMS | BEAR + ARMS |
| 22 | polic(Y) | ULTRAISM | MURALIST * |
| 26 | G(O)rman | TERESA | (HER SEAT) * − H |
| 27 | tal(U)s | RESECT | RES(p)ECT |
| 28 | deb(T) | WELCH | 2 meanings |
| 29 | lo(O)king | ARCUS | CAR * + U/S |
| 31 | Divi(D)e | SEVER | (Christma)S EVE R(eindeer) |
| 33 | dr(I)nk | ASTI | ASTI(r) |
| 34 | ball(E)t | PLIÉ | PE around LI (now 500m = 19,685 inches) |