Listener Crossword 4928: Solution Notes
You Can’t Have Both! by Leo
Puzzle explanation
All grid entries were either inconsistent (clashing) or incomplete (lacking their last letter). The letters used to replace the clashes in the grid spelt INCONSISTENT from top to bottom. Clues for the incomplete entries contained a word with its last letter missing; these letters spelt INCOMPLETENESS. The five non-word grid entries were ASTR(O), AMEBOI(D), PEDDLIN(G), AIRMARSHA(L), UMPIRAG(E), whose last letters formed GÖDEL (omitting the umlaut was accepted). Kurt Gödel’s theorems state that systems that are complete (can prove all things) cannot be consistent (containing no contradictions) and ones that are consistent cannot be complete.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Missing letter | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | ANTERIOR | AN + TERROR with I for R; 2 meanings | |
| 6 | fung(I) | ATOPY | A(dmitting) T(repidation) O(f) P(hoenix) Y(es) |
| 9 | ratio(N) | KARAT | RAT(ion) after KA |
| 11 | POMADE | ((Brylcreem)ED A MOP(top)) < | |
| 13 | SHUTTERED | UTTER in SHED | |
| 14 | TOIL | TAIL with O for A; ref. poor batsmen | |
| 16 | CONVECTIONAL | (CONICAL VENT + O) * | |
| 17 | UBER | (T)UBE R(econstruction) | |
| 19 | parse(C) | ASTRO- | AS + TR + O(bject) |
| 22 | Hob(O) | TRAMP | T(ime)R + AMP |
| 24 | TRON | TR + ON | |
| 25 | PREVENTATIVE | (EVENT PRIVATE) * | |
| 29 | SLEW | 2 meanings | |
| 31 | READINESS | (DNA SERIES) * | |
| 32 | Antony(M) | ADDENDA | ADD + END + À |
| 33 | GETA | (GEISHA − (IS + H)) around T | |
| 34 | ski(P) | GUESS | GUESTS − (pis)T(e) |
| 35 | REGARDER | RE + (RED + RAG) < | |
| Down | |||
| 1 | SKAT | (Princes)S KAT(e) | |
| 2 | TRIUNES | TRIUNES + THEY = (THREES + UNITY) * | |
| 3 | RETREATED | RET + RE + A + TED | |
| 4 | INURES | INJURES − J | |
| 5 | OTTO | (c)OTTO(n) | |
| 6 | cel(L) | AMEBOID | (BAD MOVIE) * − V |
| 7 | Borat(E) | TAROC | ((B)ORAT(e) + C) * |
| 8 | fee(T) | PEDDLING | (PINGED D(oorbel)L) * |
| 10 | pure(E) | ALOOF | (FOOL + A) < |
| 12 | DECANT | DEC + ANT | |
| 15 | patter(N) | AIR-MARSHAL | (LIAR HARMS A) * |
| 17 | grim(E) | UMPIRAGE | (UP A GRIME) * |
| 18 | HORNED | HO + R + NE + D | |
| 20 | GRIFTED | GRIF(f) + TED | |
| 21 | ABIDES | E after (A + BID) + S | |
| 23 | ATTEND | A + T + T + END | |
| 26 | VEIL | (sur)VEIL(lance) | |
| 27 | CODE | C(omputable) O(r) D(ecidable) E(xpressions) | |
| 28 | arm(S) | UNDER | UNDÉ + R |
| 30 | startles(S) | WEARY | (s)WEARY |