Listener Crossword 4853: Solution Notes
Twisted Sister by Ifor
Puzzle explanation
The grid transformation, sliding the central 4×4 block to the left, represented the Zig Zag Girl illusion, in which a girl in a vertical box appears to be sliced into three, with the middle section slid to one side. Reflecting that arrangement, girls’ names were spelt out by letters indexed by answer length from the end of the clue for the first and last thirds of the clues, but from the start of the clue for the middle third. The letters indexed at the other ends spelt “Right pinch within boxes, imprisoning bright girl”, hinting at the theme and providing wordplay for Robert Harbin [(R in (ROB + IN)) around BERTHA], who invented the illusion.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Across | |
| AMID | AID around M |
| SLAP | PALS < |
| IAMB | (LAMB + I − L) * |
| LIFE | LIE around F |
| NONET | TENON < |
| ENROOT | ROOT after EN |
| RIBS | 2 meanings |
| MINIMART | MINIM + ART |
| DESIRE | IS < in DERE |
| ANE | (partis)AN E(lection) |
| WAVER | W + AVER |
| DEMERITS | (MISTREATED -TA <) * |
| ROSE | 3 meanings |
| NOTT | (B)OT(h) in N(on-even)T |
| NOONTIME | INTO * in NOME |
| IDEA | (RAIDER − every R) * |
| TIER | (STAIR − SA separated) around E |
| FONT | FON + (discoun)T |
| ESNES | ESSEN * |
| CRYINGS | SCRYING with (Stone)S moved to the end |
| Down | |
| ALAR | À LA + R(ashes) |
| MINI | (a)MI(d) + N + I(nventions) |
| DENS | SNED < |
| STEMMA | MET < in (S + MA) |
| LOTION | LOON around IT < |
| AMENDE | A + MEND + (siècl)E |
| PENIE | PEN + IE |
| ANOA | (NOA(h’s) A(rk)) * |
| MOOR | ROOM < |
| BITTERSWEET | (BEST IT WERE + T(oxicology)) * |
| ARMS | A(cros)S around R(oo)M |
| RETIMING | (INTERIM + G(ain)) * |
| ARÊTE | (Delib)ERATE * |
| VIDICON | (ON CIVILISED) * − LIES * |
| DENETS | DENTS around E |
| EROTIC | REACTION * − AN * |
| MOONER | MOO + (t)REN(d) < |
| SNARY | S(ome) + NAY around R |
| NINE | (Fright)ENIN(g) < |
| ODES | ((moro)SE DO(ors)) < |
| TED | DE + TOAST − OAST |
| TATE | ATE after THE − H(ast)E |