Listener Crossword 4885: Solution Notes
Knockout by Harribobs
Puzzle explanation
The 15 team names jumbled among the extra words in clues (listed below) had their “members” (ie letters) removed from the filled grid (shown here) and the remaining letters formed the “winning” team, WIGAN ATHLETIC, moved to the box below the grid, leaving the whole 12×12 grid empty. All 16 teams involved were current members of the Premier League, English Football League or National League. The knockout competition was imagined to be the FA Cup, which is open to members of the top nine levels of the English football league system.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Extra words; team | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | (half, mu)stering; Fulham | STABLE | S + TABLE |
| 5 | DUNDEE | (UNDEFEATED − FEAT) * | |
| 9 | Millwal(l’s arena); Arsenal | TIERS | TIE + R(ival)S |
| 11 | VETERAN | (E + RAN) after VET | |
| 12 | VOTING | V + (GOT IN) * | |
| 14 | WALK | (K + LAW) <; ref. Denis Law, nicknamed “The King” | |
| 15 | HOLLO | homophone of HOLLOW | |
| 17 | steep(lechase); Chelsea | WEMBLEY | EMBLE(m) in W(hisk)Y |
| 19 | DIOTAS | SAID < around OT | |
| 20 | ERAS | (R after E(FL)) + A + S | |
| 22 | (Danger i)sn’t; Reading | SCOP | SCOP(e) |
| 24 | (over net); Everton | FLYING | LYING after F |
| 26 | (toward f)ront; Watford | STADIAL | STA + DIAL |
| 28 | RAINY | RA + IN + (Burnle)Y | |
| 31 | HOER | HERO with O earlier | |
| 32 | TARSAL | R in ATLAS * | |
| 33 | VEHICLE | (HEALTH SERVICE) * − HEARTS * | |
| 34 | (Travel op)erator’s; Port Vale | TRONE | ((th)E NORT(h)) < |
| 35 | EMULGE | LEGUME * | |
| 36 | man(ages event); Stevenage | TOMCAT | TO A T around MC |
| Down | |||
| 1 | fa(ns barely); Barnsley | STOWED | S(tand) + TO + WED |
| 2 | (became mor)e; Morecambe | TITANIC | (TACTICIAN − AC) * |
| 3 | cal(led unrealistic); Carlisle United | BROKE | BLOKE with R for L |
| 4 | EVIL | LIVE(rpool) < | |
| 5 | DENIMS | I’M in DENS | |
| 6 | NERO | (u)N(h)E(a)R(d) O(f) | |
| 7 | EARLY | (n)EARLY | |
| 8 | ENVOYS | (m)EN + V + (b)OYS; caps = capital letters | |
| 10 | STEWARD | ST EDWARD − D | |
| 13 | (not entirely o)ff; Leyton Orient | CLERIC | CIRCLE * |
| 16 | (Valiant los)s; Aston Villa | FOOTIE | F + O-O + TIE |
| 18 | BALLAST | BALL + AS + T’ | |
| 21 | ANTENNA | A + NT + ANNE < | |
| 22 | (First lady co)mes; Salford City | STRIVE | (again)ST RIVE(rside) |
| 23 | FINALE | FINAGLE − G | |
| 25 | GARNET | GAR(y) + NET | |
| 26 | (Tickets yo)u; Stoke City | SALEM | SALE + M(atch) |
| 27 | CHARM | CH + ARM | |
| 29 | NAIL | A in NIL | |
| 30 | ARET | (G)ARET(h) | |