Listener Crossword 4793: Solution Notes
All Change! by Ovid
Puzzle explanation
The extra letters given by wordplay spelt METAMORPHOSES. The thematic answers to wordplay-only clues were characters from Greek mythology who underwent transformations. Their grid entries (symmetrically disposed) were the things they were transformed into: Actaeon → STAG, Cygnus → SWAN, Procne → SWALLOW, Callisto → BEAR, Arachne → SPIDER, Syrinx → REEDS, (tears of) Adonis → ANEMONE, Daphne → LAUREL, Niobe → STONE, Hippomenes → LION.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation [extra letter] |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | SEA BAT | SEA[M] + BAT |
| 5 | BESTIR | BEST + IR |
| 10 | WATER NYMPH | (WREN + [E]MPATHY) * |
| 13 | LUMIÈRE | LERE around (h)UMI(d) |
| 14 | LEA-RIG | (LE[T] + RIG) around A |
| 15 | PAD | PA + D |
| 16 | ACTAEON | ACTA + EON |
| 17 | PATENTS | PAS around TEN[A]NT − N |
| 18 | OILIEST | (ELIOT IS) * |
| 24 | HAUT TON | HA(m) + [M]UTTON |
| 25 | SINAEAN | IN ASEAN with S moved to the front |
| 27 | CYGNUS | SCUNGY * |
| 28 | TEE | (S)T (J)E(r)[O](m)E |
| 29 | MALLAM | ALL in MAM |
| 31 | ON A ROLL | A[R]NO < + ROLL |
| 32 | PEPSINOGEN | PEPSI + NO + G + NE < |
| 33 | EYALET | YALE in [P]ET |
| 34 | MANÈGE | MAN + EG + E(venting) |
| Down | ||
| 1 | PROCNE | PRONE around C |
| 2 | ATLATLS | [H]AT + STALL * |
| 3 | CALLISTO | (cat)CALL IS TO(m) |
| 4 | ARMIGER | homophone of ARMY + GER |
| 6 | EMMET | E + M[O]M + ET |
| 7 | ARACHNE | (EACH RAN) * |
| 8 | IRRATIONAL | RATION in LIRA with first letter moved to the end |
| 9 | SYRINX | S + YR + IN + X |
| 11 | YUKATA | YUK + [S]ATA(n) |
| 12 | RESILIENCY | (CRIES IN ELY) * |
| 19 | SHAWLS | SH + AW[E] + L(ift) S(ome) |
| 20 | SUSANNA | SUS + ANNA; ref. biblical Book of Daniel |
| 21 | ÉTALAGE | ((Gri)EG A LA[S]T É(tude)) < |
| 22 | ADONIS | A DON IS |
| 23 | DAPHNE | DANE around PH |
| 25 | NIOBE | OBE after NI |
| 26 | ELOPE | PENELOPE − PEN |
| 30 | HIPPOMENES | HIPPO + MENES |