Listener Crossword 4874: Solution Notes
Completing the Circle by Phi
Puzzle explanation
The initial grid constructed according to the clues, shown here, had blank cells leaving the left and right edges ragged. The grid was cut vertically and the two sides swapped, fitting the ragged edges together to give the final rectangle. In 13 clues the wordplay gave the answer in cyclic form; these clues’ initials spelt Finnegans Wake. The novel forms a cycle, ending with “A way a lone a last a loved a long the” and beginning with the continuation of that sentence, “riverrun, past Eve and Adam’s, from swerve of shore to bend of bay, brings us by a commodius vicus of recirculation back to Howth Castle and Environs.” Highlighted in alternate rows of the final grid were the words of the spanning phrase A LONE A LAST / A LOVED / A LONG THE / RIVERRUN / PAST EVE / AND ADAMS.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| Answer | Wordplay form | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| LASTS | LASS around T(ight) | |
| CHALONE | ALONE|CH | (A(ll) + CH) around LONE |
| ACATERS | A + CATS around ER | |
| HALITE | IT in (H + ALE) | |
| VEDALIA | ALIA|VED | A + LIVED around A(nother) |
| URIAL | URL around (I + A) | |
| REGLET | R + EG + LET | |
| NICE | (C in EIN) < | |
| THERA | HER in TA | |
| GET ALONG | ETALONG|G | EGG around TALON |
| CEASED | CREASED − R(ocker) | |
| BASING | BASIN G | |
| RUNNIER | (N + N + IE) in RUR | |
| DRIVER | VER|DRI | VERDI around R(otary) |
| ARTISTE | IS in (pa)TT(er) in ARE | |
| NARDOO | DOO|NAR | DOOR around AN < |
| VELA | ((g)ALE V(ery)) < | |
| PASTE | ASTE|P | A + STEP |
| OLLA | LA|OL | LOL around A |
| EMPTIER | ME < + TRIPE * | |
| DAMSEL | LEAD < around MS | |
| MIRANDA | (MIND + A) around RA | |
| Down | ||
| ACER | RECA(p) < | |
| LADE | BLADE − B | |
| ATAGHAN | A + TAG + HAN(d) | |
| SELLE | SELE around L | |
| TRIER | TRIMER − M | |
| CHUGGED | C(an) + HUGGED | |
| HARTE | TE|HAR | H in TEAR |
| ALISTAIR | AIR|ALIST | AIR A-LIST |
| LIANAS | SNAIL < around A | |
| NEOCON | NEON around CO | |
| ENG | G|EN or NG|E | (reformin)G EN(during) or (reformi)NG E(nduring) |
| ADRENAL | A + (DENIAL − I) around R | |
| CURVED | CURED around V | |
| ENTERA | RA|ENTE | RATE around NE < |
| SISALS | (agave)S IS ALS(o) | |
| BRAHMI | BRA + HM + I | |
| ETTLE | LE|ETT | LEET + T |
| EOSIN | EON around SI | |
| ROTED | ROT + ED | |
| NEEM | EM after EN < | |
| DATA | TA|DA | (projec)T + ADA |
| ERA | (admir)ER A(dmirer) | |