Listener Crossword 4740: Solution Notes
Imperial Age by Stick Insect
Puzzle explanation
The letters omitted from answers spelt out “Warning first seen in The Listener sixty years ago”, referring to the Jenny Joseph poem Warning, which was published in The Listener magazine on 6 December 1962. The shading of the unclued entry JENNY JOSEPH in purple and the HAT above in red represented the start of the poem:
When I am an old woman I shall wear purple With a red hat which doesn’t go.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer (omitted letter) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 2 | SOME(W)HAT | S + (AT HOME) * |
| 7 | FORÇ(A)T | FOR + CT |
| 11 | (R)ATH(R)IPE | (HEAP IT) * |
| 12 | ALTER(N)E | A + L(o)T + ERE |
| 13 | OL(I)OS | O’ + LOS |
| 14 | OPE(N) PRISO(N)S | PORPOISES * |
| 15 | NI(G)ERIA | (AIR + EIN) < |
| 16 | NI(F)TIEST | NIT around TIES |
| 17 | EN(I)SLES | LES after ENS |
| 18 | NUGGA(R)S | GUN < + GAS |
| 21 | YE(S)TY | YET + Y |
| 23 | BU(T)EA | B(loom) U(nder) E(xpert) A(gronomists) |
| 24 | (S)HEAR | HEAR |
| 27 | JOLI(E) | JOL + I |
| 29 | ARRI(E)RO | ARR + IRO(n) |
| 30 | FU(N)ERAL | U in FERAL |
| 31 | ATOM(I)STS | A + TOM + S(it)T(er)S |
| 32 | TI(N)FOIL | FIT < + OIL |
| 33 | POE(T)ESS | EPOSES * |
| 34 | (H)ENCE | SENTENCE − SENT |
| 35 | OARW(EE)D | (A + WORD) * |
| 36 | RESEA(L)S | RES + EA + S |
| 37 | UNSP(I)LT | PUNTS * around L |
| 38 | (S)HEA TREE | HEAT + REE |
| Down | ||
| 1 | EA(T) ONE’S HEAR(T) OU(T) | EA + (HONOUREE’S A) * |
| 2 | ST(EE)LING | STRING with L for R |
| 3 | OHO(N)E | O’ + HOE |
| 4 | MIS(E)RLY | (S + RLY) after MI |
| 5 | HEPA(R)S | HEP + A + S |
| 6 | TAP I(SS)UE | TAPE around IU |
| 7 | FL(I)RT-G(I)LL | FLED − ED + RT + G + LL |
| 8 | RÉSEAU(X) | RES + EAU |
| 9 | CROSSE(TT)E | CROSS + (B)EE(b) |
| 10 | TEST(Y) | (T + SET) < |
| 19 | CARL(Y)LESE | CARE around SELL < |
| 20 | S(E)A ROV(E)RS | SAROS around (i)V(o)R(y) |
| 22 | EPISOD(A)L | SPOILED * |
| 23 | B(R)IEFEST | I in BE + FEST |
| 25 | EA(S)TMAN | EAT + MAN |
| 26 | T(A)RTEST | PRETTIEST * − PIE * |
| 28 | WRON(G)ER | W + ONER around R |
| 30 | F(OO)TS(O)RE | FT + S + RE |