Listener Crossword 4862: Solution Notes
The Bank Job by Apt
Puzzle explanation
The task was the classic puzzle of transporting a wolf, a goat and a cabbage (the items) across a river, using a boat large enough for only one item, without leaving the goat unattended with the wolf (which would kill it) or the cabbage (which it would eat). In the rows representing a crossing (reading left-to-right and right-to-left alternately), the extra letters in clues’ wordplay spelt RIVER and each was replaced by the item being carried on that crossing. For the rows between the crossings, letters in three columns yielded a letter for each item, on the side where that item was currently located, spelling the related words COYOTE (wolf), ANGORA (goat) and GREENS (cabbage).
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation [extra letter] |
|---|---|---|
| Crossings | ||
| 5 | HEN ROOST | (SOON THE) * around R[R] |
| 8 | KNIFE-BOARD | I in (FOR BANKED) * |
| 9 | RUISDAEL | (g)R(o)U(p)I(e’)S (w)[I](l)D (e)A(g)E(r)L(y) |
| 12 | MAEANDER | (RED + NA[V]E) < after MA |
| 16 | DSOMO | D + SO + [E]MO |
| 18 | DIRECT | DIRE + CT |
| 19 | PLACATED | PLATED around (CA[R] with the first letter at the end) |
| Across | ||
| 4 | BASTES | (SET + S + AB) < |
| 1 | CLAGGY | CRAGGY with L for R |
| 7 | OXTER | OX + TER(m) |
| ULNAE | U(sing) L(ovely) N(eologisms) A(rtfully) E(xecuted) | |
| 10 | ARMIES | (SEMINAR − N(azareth)) * |
| SHAGGY | H in SAGGY | |
| 17 | NONET | NO NET |
| CARER | C(h)A(i)R (h)E(a)R(s) | |
| 20 | DÉTENU | (ma)DE TEN U(nisex) |
| ASTARE | ASTAIRE − I | |
| Down | ||
| 1 | CHOKRA | CH + OKRA |
| STEELY | (tar)T in SEELY | |
| 2 | TONNAG | TONNAG(e) |
| ANTRIM | (whe)N (ha)T (weare)R in AIM | |
| 3 | GREASING | GREG around (A + SIN) |
| SOLIDAGO | SO + LID + (br)A(ss) + GO | |
| 4 | BAGELS | BAG + ELS |
| YOBBOS | (SOB + BOY) < | |
| 6 | TUFF | homophone of TOUGH |
| GROW | G + ROW | |
| 11 | REUSABLE | (ELBA + SUER) < |
| GAS METER | (AS + MET) in GER | |
| 12 | MOOTED | MOO + TED |
| REDCAP | (PC READ) * | |
| 13 | DOORMAT | DO + OR + MAT |
| E RE NATA | ERRATA with EN for third letter | |
| 14 | TABLEAU | LEA in TABU |
| ALBERTA | ALBE + RTA | |
| 15 | EARCON | ROMANCE * − M |
| PANICS | PAS around NIC(e) | |
| Items | ||
| CABBAGE | C + A + B + B + A + G + E | |
| WOLF | W/O + LF | |
| GOAT | GO AT | |