Listener Crossword 4815: Solution Notes
Creature Feature by Sabre
Puzzle explanation
The puzzle was based on a couplet (in the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations) from Edward Lear’s The Pobble Who Has No Toes:
He has gone to fish, for his Aunt Jobiska’s Runcible Cat with crimson whiskers!
The encoded entries used the phrase AUNT JOBISKA’S RUNCIBLE CAT. HE was replaced by the name of a fish in the following entries: 1ac (HORNYHEAD) 17ac (AI), 36ac (KABELJOU) and 18dn (TOGUE). Along with the bottom-left cell containing I, there was only one way of choosing other unchecked cells containing the rest of the letters of WHISKERS, which were shaded in crimson.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | CHEF | CHE + F |
| 11 | LAPJE | LAPSE with J for S |
| 13 | UPBORE | UP + BORE |
| 14 | RIBBON | RIB BON(e) |
| 15 | BUNKO-STEERER | (BROKE TUREENS) * |
| 17 | GHEE | (Af)GH(an) (sw)EE(ts) |
| 19 | JUTE | JUT + (barg)E |
| 20 | GAZOO | GO around (A + ZO) |
| 21 | FAT CATS | FAST * around (AT + C) |
| 23 | INK-BLOT | (LINK TO + B) * |
| 24 | OUBIT | (OUI + ’T) around B |
| 26 | NOLL | (u)N(w)O(r)L(d)L(y) |
| 28 | AGIN | (im)AGIN(ative) |
| 29 | STICKLER-LIKE | STICK + KILLER * + E |
| 33 | QUEUER | (men)U in QUEER |
| 34 | SMOUTS | SMUT’S around O |
| 35 | ARTAL | ART + A + L |
| 36 | ECHES | (hors)E CHES(tnut) |
| Down | ||
| 1 | CLUING | C + LUING |
| 2 | HARN-PAN | HAIR + IN PAIN with all Is going away |
| 3 | STOCKJOBBERS | STOCK + JOB + BE(a)RS |
| 4 | NEBBIOLO | NEB + I(t) in BOLO |
| 5 | YBORE | RE after BOY * |
| 6 | EPIC | E-PIC |
| 7 | COUNTERBLAST | (LEAR’S C(a)T ON TUB) * |
| 8 | DOCU | C in DOU(r) |
| 9 | FRACT | FACT around (winte)R |
| 10 | SEGUES | SE(x) + GUES(s) |
| 12 | PIT | 3 meanings |
| 16 | JEAT | J + EAT |
| 18 | WHEAL | WHALE * |
| 21 | FORE | FOR + É(clair) |
| 22 | TIMARAU | TAU around RAMI < |
| 23 | INKOSI | IN + (I’S + OK) < |
| 25 | TICALS | PLASTIC * − P |
| 27 | OJIME | EMOJI * |
| 28 | ACUTE | UT in ACE |
| 30 | BLOC | (CO- + LB) < |
| 31 | ANTA | (m)ANTA |
| 32 | SET | 2 meanings |