Listener Crossword 4778: Solution Notes
Dedication by Tiburon
Puzzle explanation
Taken in order of the grid entries, the corrections to misprints in clues gave “Sawalha, Redding, Grant, Kaplinsky; dates of birth”, referring to four famous people born on 9 September, respectively Julia Sawalha (actor, born in 1968 — not her father Nadim, who according to some sources shares her birthday, because the preamble stipulated two male and two female people), Otis Redding (singer and songwriter, 1941-1967), Hugh Grant (actor, born 1960) and Natasha Kaplinsky (TV presenter and journalist, born 1972). Reading the letter in each clue that corresponded to its grid entry number spelt out “send birthday card with four forenames, not grid”. Instead of the completed grid (shown here for information), solvers were required to send a birthday card addressed to JULIA, OTIS, HUGH and NATASHA to the usual address. The initials of the names also spelt JOHN, the forename of the long-time checker and statistician of Listener crossword entries, who shares the same birthday. His name also appeared in the corners of the grid. The puzzle was published two weeks before the significant date to ensure that John received his birthday cards in time.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| Misprint | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| (D)roning | ABUZZ | BUZZ after A |
| t(I)me | AGELESS | WAGELESS − W |
| (L)ocation | APSE | (E + SPA) < |
| Ador(N) | ATTIRE | AT + TIRE(d) |
| o(F) | BAOBAB | BB around (A + OBA) |
| s(W)ay | CAREEN | CAREE(r) + N (happily = perhaps) |
| dr(A)g | DRAWER | REWARD < |
| (G)loat | DROOL | LORD (exclamation) < around O |
| (S)lack’s | EAGER | E’ER around AG |
| (S)oil | EARTHEN | THE in EARN |
| c(H)ew | EATER | EA + TER |
| f(A)ux | ERSATZ | TASER * + Z |
| Pi(T)ch | ESTABLISH | (BASIL SHE + T(hyme)) * |
| b(R)ing | EXERT | EXEAT with R for A |
| ma(I)den | FRESH | (matc)H after REFS * |
| ran(K) | GENTLEMAN | (MEANT NIGEL) * − I(ndian) |
| h(A)g | HELLCAT | LETHAL * around C(ontest) |
| p(R)ayer | HERMIT | HER + MIT |
| bi(R)d | IBIS | IS around (B + I) |
| li(N)ers | ICEBERG | 2 meanings |
| R(I)ver | ISÈRE | ((passiv)E RESI(stance)) < |
| (S)ound | JUSTIFIED | JUST + IF + I’ + ED |
| (G)arrets | LOFTS | LOST * around F |
| loa(D) | ONEROUSLY | ONLY around EUROS * |
| Cr(E)ws | OUTFITS | (IF STOUT) * |
| Fl(O)g | PEDDLE | MEDDLE with P for M |
| Mone(Y) | PESETA | ((l)ATE SEP(tember)) < |
| (D)ish | PILAU | LIP < + AU |
| (A)rbiter | REFEREE | FERE in REE |
| (T)ell | RELATE | R(eignite) E(ighteen) L(anterns) A(nd) T(oll) E(very) |
| Sna(K)e | REPTILE | (PIT + REEL) * |
| Mar(T)ian | RILLE | RIFLE with L for F |
| (P)eter | SAFE | 2 meanings |
| scor(N)s | SATIRE | ((whenev)ER IT AS(sociates)) < |
| C(H)eating | SCAM | S + C + A + M |
| pe(A)ks | SERRA | ARRES(t) < |
| (B)odies | SOMATA | (A + MOST + A) * |
| P(E)s | TROTTER | R in TOTTER |
| b(L)asts | TWEER | 2 meanings |
| Ch(A)nnel | URETER | (RE + T) < after URE |