Listener Crossword 4905: Solution Notes
Tight Spot by Skylark
Puzzle explanation
The extra letters in clues spelt out “an absurd situation in which one can never win”, taken from the Chambers definition of “Catch-22”, “(denoting) an absurd situation in which one can never win, being constantly balked by a clause, rule, etc which itself can alter to block any change in one’s course of action, or being faced with a choice of courses of action, both or all of which would have undesirable consequences”. The term comes from the title of the 1961 novel by Joseph Heller, which was represented in the grid by highlighting CATCH in the top row and 22 below it, with each of the digits tracing the name JOSEPH HELLER.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Extra letter | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | (A)tom | SAFETY CATCHES | (Y + CAT) in ((O)S(c)A(r) + FETCHES) |
| 10 | Crave(N) | LONGAN | LONG + AN |
| 11 | (A)gain | LOOK AT | LOO + TAK(e) < |
| 12 | (B)rand | REREDOSES | R + ERE + DOSES |
| 13 | (S)pry | NOSE | (E + SON) < |
| 14 | ca(U)sing | OVERJUMP | MOVE − M + RUMP around J |
| 17 | Save(R) | JEEP | KEEP with J for K |
| 18 | Mala(D)y | PRAHU | RAH in UP < |
| 20 | (S)nips | SLAES | STEALS < − T |
| 21 | Oh(I)o | NICHE | (O)H(o) in NICE |
| 23 | (T)ends | DOESKIN | DOES + KIN |
| 26 | (U)sing | RATEL | RAT + EL |
| 29 | Rit(A) | ILLER | TILLER − (Ri)T |
| 33 | Pe(T)e’s | PAEON | AEON after P |
| 34 | (I)Pod | SHUL | S + HULL − L |
| 35 | b(O)ar | CRAB TREE | (ERECT BAR) * |
| 36 | have(N) | HA-HA | HA’ + HA’ |
| 37 | Pl(I)ant | LIFT A HAND | LAND around (IF + HAT <) |
| 38 | di(N)e | UREIDE | DIE < in URE |
| 39 | le(W)d | DELETE | ((f)ETE LED) < |
| 40 | s(H)un | PRIMARY STRESS | (STRAY PRIMERS) * + S |
| Down | |||
| 1 | wa(I)ter | SEROUS | SERIOUS − I |
| 2 | (C)rank | A-LEVELS | AS around LEVEL |
| 3 | (H)earth | FORETASTE | (FOREST + E) around TA(b) |
| 4 | S(O)ap | ENERVE | VENEER * |
| 5 | do(N)ut | YAOURT | TRAY < around (d)OU(t) |
| 6 | ALEPHS | (HELP AS) * | |
| 7 | Warn(E) | CONJOIN | ((War)N + JO) in COIN |
| 8 | (C)rest | EASEL | EASE + L |
| 9 | (A)pace | STEPHEN | HEN after STEP |
| 15 | ge(N)t | MAHSEER | HAM < + SEE + R |
| 16 | Zambia(N) | ZUNI | Z + UNI |
| 19 | laps(E) | SCELERATE | (lap)S + ACCELERATE − A/C |
| 22 | BRUSH UP | RUSH in PUB < | |
| 23 | (V)ague | DECLAIM | A(gue) in (DE + CLIM(b)) |
| 24 | B(E)ar | OLPE | POLE with P(aw) moved down into the interior |
| 25 | (R)angers | RETENES | RE + TENES |
| 27 | (W)ill | LACIER | CLAIRE * |
| 28 | Tur(I)n | ROATES | ROTATE + S − T |
| 30 | LATHER | LATER around H | |
| 31 | (N)utter | REEDES | homophone of READS |
| 32 | CHARR | CHAR + R | |