Listener Crossword 4683: Solution Notes
Diversions by Dysart
Puzzle explanation
Applying the answer “sort out” (28dn) to the circled letters gave “last row”, so the last row was also sorted out, to form MOUNT OLYMPUS. Letter changes in the remaining rows revealed names of major Olympian gods, ordered by length in a mountain formation, with Zeus and Hera appropriately given top place. The puzzle’s title is DI (gods) + VERSIONS.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation | Thematic associations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | INSET | IST around (N + E) | |
| 5 | EASTER | EATERS with (crop)S moved to the left | fruits, crops (Demeter) |
| 11 | HEADS | HADES with E moved | ecstasy (Dionysus); underworld (Hades = Pluto) |
| 13 | BHUNA | H in BUN + A | |
| 14 | ENLACE | E(lgar) + ’N’ + L + ACE | |
| 15 | MIAOU | (MIAOU + SHE’D) * = HOUSEMAID | |
| 16 | ATLATL | AT LAST − S + L | spear (Ares, Athena) |
| 17 | UNABLE | TUNABLE − T | |
| 18 | LADE | homophone of LAID | |
| 19 | POLE | POE around L(ightning) | lightning (Zeus); rod (Hermes) |
| 20 | EXIT | EX + IT | sex (Aphrodite, Dionysus) |
| 21 | FAWNER | (F + A + NEW + R) * | queen (Hera) |
| 22 | CESSER | ESSE in CR | |
| 24 | TUARTS | STUART with first letter moved | family (Hestia) |
| 27 | SISTRA | (STAIR + S) * | |
| 29 | SCHEME | SOME with CHE for O(man) | strategy (Athena) |
| 31 | TOROID | TO + RID around O | |
| 34 | URDÉ | (m)URDE(r) | |
| 35 | ONUS | (SUN + O’) < | light (Apollo) |
| 36 | URGE | PURGE − P | desire (Aphrodite) |
| 37 | TOROSE | OS in TORE | |
| 39 | ADONIA | AIA around (D + ON) | Adonis (loved by Aphrodite) |
| 40 | JAPER | APE in (R + J) < | |
| 41 | OBITER | (O + ARBITER) − AR | |
| 42 | ALEPH | PELA < + H | |
| 43 | STUNT | 2 meanings | |
| 44 | LUPOUS | SOUL * around UP | |
| 45 | TOMMY | TO + M + MY | |
| Down | |||
| 1 | KHALIF | IF after (K + HAL) | king (Zeus) |
| 2 | WASHLAND | SAW < + HAND around L | floods (Poseidon) |
| 3 | LEARNED | LED around ARNE | light (Apollo) |
| 4 | TAPETS | AT < + PETS | woven pieces (Athena) |
| 6 | SECULAR | SECUR(e) around LA | |
| 7 | HESTIA | (Researc)H + (b)ESTIA(l) | animal goddess (Artemis); Hestia |
| 8 | BEAU | homophone of BOW | |
| 9 | LORINER | LINER around OR | metalworker (Hephaestus) |
| 10 | QUARTE | QUE around ART | |
| 12 | CEORL | (prin)CE OR L(ord) | |
| 23 | REMOUNTS | (Messenge)R + (ONE MUST) * | messenger (Hermes); horses (Poseidon) |
| 25 | LOCULAR | L + JOCULAR − J | justice (Zeus) |
| 26 | AENEOUS | AENEAS with OU for second A | warrior (Ares, Athena); Aeneas (son of Aphrodite) |
| 28 | SORT OUT | (O + R) in STOUT | |
| 29 | JUNTAS | NUJ < + AS around T | |
| 30 | EPOPEE | POPE < + EE | poetry (Apollo) |
| 31 | TAUBE | TUBE around A | |
| 32 | ODISTS | (POSTS − P) around DI | |
| 33 | VAT DYE | (STAYED + V) * − S | sun (Apollo) |
| 38 | PURE | UP < + RE(d) | wine (Dionysus) |