Listener Crossword 4810: Solution Notes
Cognitive Dissidence by Vagans
Puzzle explanation
The thematic grid entries were eggcorns, words used mistakenly but somewhat plausibly for the clue answers in idiomatic expressions. The term EGGCORN (highlighted in a diagonal of the grid) for such a malapropism was coined by Geoffrey Pullum in 2003, based on an example of “egg corn” to mean “acorn”. The eggcorns and the extra words that defined them are listed in the clue explanations below. The preamble contained other examples: “cognitive dissidence” (dissonance), “ripe with” (rife), “pass mustard” (muster) and “tow the line” (toe). The extra letters in clues spelt out “to the manner born (Hamlet)”, a phrase often misquoted as “to the manor born”.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Extra word/ |
Answer [eggcorn] | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | BASS [BASE guitar] | 2 meanings | |
| 5 | over(T) | UPGO | OGPU < |
| 9 | BULL [BOWL in a china shop] | 3 meanings | |
| 12 | brave [1dn] | OPTERS | TER in OP’S |
| 13 | ploy [23ac] | UVEA | (no)UVEA(u-riche) |
| 14 | (O)bits | LACONICISM | (CONCISE EMAIL) * − E(laborate) E(ulogy) |
| 15 | dish [9ac] | DOLENT | DO + LENT |
| 17 | Dan(T)e | UNARGUED | (GURU DANE) * |
| 18 | Counterfeit [1ac] | ASDIC | AS + D(ive) + I’ + C |
| 19 | target [34dn] | RÉGIE | REGIME − M |
| 21 | (H)old | GO IN | GIN around O |
| 23 | GAMUT [the whole GAMBIT] | GAT around MU | |
| 25 | CHASE [cut to the CHEESE] | H in CASE | |
| 27 | lob(E) | BOLO | (O’ + LOB) < |
| 28 | (M)a | PENNA | PENN + A |
| 29 | fizzer [25ac] | GÂTÉE | GATEAU − AU + E; under “enfant” in Chambers |
| 30 | Norm(A) | PARROTER | (cl)ER(ic) after (PAR + ROT) |
| 33 | Fin(N) | FINING | FIN + IN + G |
| 35 | hu(N)t | HABITATION | NATION with HABIT for the first letter |
| 36 | At(E) | IN IT | IN + IT |
| 37 | hea(R)d | TROIKA | TIKA around RO |
| 38 | MOOT [a MUTE point] | MO + OT | |
| 39 | (B)ear | WYCH | homophone of WITCH |
| 40 | PALE [beyond the PAIL] | LEAP * | |
| Down | |||
| 1 | BALD [BOLD-faced liar] | BAD around L | |
| 2 | (O)AP | APRON | AP + RON |
| 3 | C(R)ave | STALAGMITE | STALAG + MITE |
| 4 | Georgia(N) | GRANGE | GRAN + GE |
| 6 | pooris(H) | PROTEOCLASTIC | (POORIS CATTLE) * + C |
| 7 | (A)gain | GONADIC | (DOC GAIN) * |
| 8 | silent [38ac] | OBI-MAN | BI- in OMAN |
| 9 | Ro(M)e | BUCKSHEE | BUCK + SHEE(p) |
| 10 | hobbling [11dn] | WESTIE | SEW < + TIE |
| 11 | LAY [LAME man’s terms] | 3 meanings | |
| 16 | fancy [32dn] | ADVENTITIA | ADVENT + IT + I’ + A |
| 17 | ERR [URGE on the side of caution] | E + RR | |
| 20 | teddy [22dn] | IBSENITE | (BI TEEN IS) * |
| 22 | BARE [BEAR-knuckle fight] | BAR + E | |
| 24 | Encourage [17dn] | TOPIARY | TO + PIA + RY |
| 26 | g(L)um | TAMANU | TAU around MAN |
| 27 | Can [40ac] | BESTOW | BEST + OW |
| 28 | pr(E)y | PRIORY | PRY around ROI < |
| 31 | fille(T) | ENOKI | (fill)E NO KI(dneys) |
| 32 | WING [on a WHIM and a prayer] | WI + NG | |
| 34 | GOLD [GOAL standard] | G + OLD | |