Listener Crossword 4782: Solution Notes
Life 2 by Hawk
Puzzle explanation
The extra letters in wordplay gave the compass point pairs SE-W, SW-N and NW-E, producing the cut lines shown in pink in the initial grid here. The five grid pieces were arranged to make two squares of different sizes (ie, mathematically similar but not congruent). The corrections to misprints spelt “non-identical”, hinting at the 1988 film Twins, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito, whose characters’ physical differences were an unexpected result of GENE EDITING (23ac and 1dn). In the reassembled grid, DEVITO was formed with an upside-down O (from 29dn) and SCHWARZENEGGER with a sideways N (from 28dn) for the Z, with TWINS in a straight line linking them.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Misprint | Answer | Explanation [extra letters] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | EFFLUX | (t)EFF + L + UX | |
| 5 | CHEQUE | CHEE[SE] around QU | |
| 10 | de(N)t | DEGENERATING | (AGREEING DENT) * |
| 11 | INVAR | RAV < after I(ro)N | |
| 12 | w(O)rd | NON-COME | E after NON-COM |
| 13 | pa(N)ama | TITFER | FT < in TIER |
| 15 | SCHWA | SCA[W] around H(ome-bre)W | |
| 18 | FAR-SEEING | FARING around SEE | |
| 20 | NAIADS | NAIA + DS | |
| 25 | GILL | 2 meanings | |
| 26 | DOGLEG | LOGGED * | |
| 27 | SNELL’S LAW | S + NELL + SLAW | |
| 30 | F(I)nding | ARRÊT | TERRA < |
| 32 | ETHYLS | ETH + SLY < | |
| 34 | OGHAMIC | (OMEGA + CHI) * − E | |
| 35 | EILAT | TALE < around I’ | |
| 36 | (D)elay | RESPONSE TIME | ONSET in EMPIRE’S * |
| 37 | ESSENE | ESSENCE − C | |
| 38 | IDEAED | A in (I + DEED) | |
| Down | |||
| 2 | elev(E)n | FENI | FE + NI; ref. 11ac |
| 3 | LEAF-FALL | FALL after LEAF | |
| 4 | UNREADY | DOUNREAY * − O | |
| 5 | span(N)ed | CROSSED | CROSS + ED |
| 6 | s(T)ake | HANCE | (c)HANCE |
| 7 | ETCH | [S]CH around [W]ET (for [SW]ETCH) | |
| 8 | UNMANNED | MANNE(r) in UND(é) | |
| 9 | b(I)t | EGER | (coll)EGE R(efectory) |
| 14 | (C)an’s | TOILER | TOILET with R for last T |
| 16 | M(A)nage | WIELDY | WIDELY * |
| 17 | WAINAGES | AGAIN * in WES(t) | |
| 19 | EGG WHITE | EG + WEIGHT * | |
| 21 | SISTINE | IT’S < in SINE | |
| 22 | GOATEED | (ATE + (groupi)E) in GOD | |
| 24 | EGESTED | ED around GESTE | |
| 28 | So(L)e | LEMON | 2 meanings |
| 29 | KORE | (b)ROKE[N] * | |
| 31 | RAPE | E[NW]RAP with letters cycled | |
| 33 | LAME | EMPAL[E] < − P | |