Listener Crossword 4720: Solution Notes
Mute Stop by Llig
Puzzle explanation
The extra letters in wordplay of down clues, read from left to right in grid order, spelt “Franz Schubert”; those in across clues gave “Heinrich Heine”. The thematic entries clued by wordplay only, sometimes paired, were the titles (minus articles) of all of the settings of Heine poems in Schubert’s Schwanengesang (indicated by SWAN SONG at 1dn and 41dn), a posthumously published collection of his lieder. The titles were: Der Atlas, Ihr Bild, Das Fischermädchen, Die Stadt, Am Meer and Der Doppelgänger. The puzzle’s title referred to a mute swan and the cessation of Schubert’s life.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation [extra letter] |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | SAMBAL | (LAMB [H]AS) * |
| 6 | DUENNA | DUE(t) + (A + N + N) < |
| 10 | MAESTRO | MOR[E] * around (A + SET *) |
| 11 | STADT | S + TA + D + T |
| 13 | AMLAS | M in ALAS |
| 15 | UNPENT | UN[I]T around PEN |
| 16 | NEATENS | NEAT + ENS |
| 17 | ARIA | A + RA[N] around I |
| 19 | STETSONS | (NO ST[R]ESS + T(rombone)) * |
| 21 | FISCHER | CHIEFS * + R |
| 23 | LLANOS | (LA + N) in SOL[I] < |
| 26 | FUERO | ([C]UE FOR) * |
| 28 | EXILE | EX + ÎLE |
| 30 | AMPING | [H]AM + PING |
| 33 | MADCHEN | MAD + KITCHEN − KIT |
| 34 | SEASCAPE | (C[H]EAP SEATS) * − T |
| 39 | HUSO | HU[E]S + O (commonest letter of HOLYROOD) |
| 40 | COLOBUS | C + O + LOBUS |
| 42 | SCOGAN | (SONG + A + C) * |
| 43 | AVISO | A + VIS[I]ON − N |
| 44 | ROILS | ROS around [N]IL |
| 45 | ENAMELS | ((Ba)SLE MANE(t)) < |
| 46 | AM MEER | ÂME around ME + R |
| 47 | BANDOG | [E]GO < after BAND |
| Down | ||
| 1 | SWAN | SWAN(k) |
| 2 | MALAISE | ALIAS * in ME |
| 3 | BEATS | BE AT + S |
| 4 | ASSET | ASSE[Z] + T |
| 5 | URNS | [C]UR + N/S |
| 6 | DOPPEL | DO + PP + E + L |
| 7 | ETNAS | ([B]EATLES − LE) * around N |
| 8 | NATRON | (ART N[E]ON) * |
| 9 | ATLAS | A(utumn) + SALT < |
| 11 | SETTLED | (D[U]ET LET’S) * |
| 12 | DO-IN | DOIN(g) |
| 14 | MEDIUM | IMMU[R]ED * |
| 15 | UNSET | [S]UNSET |
| 18 | OFFA | OF + FA |
| 20 | TRAMP | TR + À + MP |
| 22 | HONCHOS | HON + CHOS(e) |
| 24 | OLENUS | [R]OLE + NUS |
| 25 | SENT | S[T]ENT |
| 27 | PAEON | P[H]AETON − ’T |
| 29 | IHR BILD | I + HR + BID around L(yric) |
| 31 | PASSIM | PASSI(on) + M[A](ss) |
| 32 | GANGER | GAN + (son)G + ER |
| 34 | SHURA | ([F]UR HAS) * |
| 35 | EURO | (OUR + E) * |
| 36 | SOCLE | SO + U[N]CLE − U |
| 37 | LLAMA | MALL < + A |
| 38 | WOVEN | W + (Beeth)OVEN |
| 40 | CANT | CAN’T |
| 41 | SONG | NG after SO(lo) |