Listener Crossword 4931: Solution Notes
Rising Star by Sage
Puzzle explanation
The corrections to misprints in across clues gave the phrase underlined here from Romeo’s speech in the balcony scene (act 2, scene 2) of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet:
But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
In thematically affected wordplay, IT replaced E (East) or J (Juliet) replaced S (sun). Down clues’ misprint corrections spelt “highlight esses and lovers”, so ROMEO at 36dn and JULIET in a rectangle around cell 29 were highlighted, along with every S in the grid, forming an image of a sun with rays. The remaining clues’ initials spelt MOON, which appeared in a crescent shape in the NW corner and was blacked out (“killed”). Any credible attempt to blacken the cells and obliterate the letters was accepted.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Misprint | Answer | Explanation [substitutions] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | sh(I)p | ALMANY | AY around ((pretze)L + MAN) |
| 5 | (T)ense | CARDIO | CAROTID * − T |
| 10 | BOIL | B(ag) + O + I’ + L | |
| 12 | co(I)l | GO-AROUNDS | GO + A + ROUND + S |
| 14 | Mar(S)h | BOG IRON | BOG + IR + ON |
| 15 | SUDDS | [J]UD + D(emand) + [J] | |
| 16 | par(T) | ERN | (summ)ER N(uts) |
| 17 | (H)ollow | GLEAMY | GAMY around L(in)E |
| 19 | b(E)g | SUET | (a)S(sorted) (p)U(ddings) (b)E(g) (s)T(eaks); ref. Jacob breed of sheep |
| 20 | TOOMED | (O + MED) after TO(e) | |
| 22 | s(E)t | POETESS | SET < in POSE * |
| 24 | (A)n | ULNARE | ((fing)ER AN LU(mpy)) < |
| 26 | ba(S)e | GESTE | GETS * + E |
| 27 | foo(T) | OPPRESSES | (O + PES) around PRESS |
| 30 | IDANT | DNA * in IT | |
| 34 | he(A)d | CONSUL | SUN * in COL |
| 36 | Bi(N)d | ROPER-IN | ROPE + (g)RIN(s) |
| 37 | (D)istress | HARASS | HAS around RAS |
| 38 | OLEA | L[IT] in (O + (fl)A(me)) | |
| 39 | ALTERS | TALE * + R + [J] | |
| 41 | UTE | U(seful) T(ransporter) [I](n) [T](asmania) | |
| 43 | (J)ailed | MIMER | (panto)MIME R(ole) |
| 44 | Dr(U)nk | RESELLS | SELLER * + S |
| 46 | (L)over | ENAMORADO | (ME ON A ROAD) * |
| 47 | m(I)ddle | TIES | SET < around (k)I(t) |
| 48 | N(E)w | ANYWAY | NY in AWAY |
| 49 | nu(T)s | INCEDE | EDENIC * |
| Down | |||
| 1 | (H)iding | ABBÉ | (Ar)AB BE(douins) |
| 2 | fl(I)pped | LOO ROLL | (LL + O’ + (d)ROOL) < |
| 3 | min(G) | MIGNON | MING * + ON |
| 4 | s(H)ow | NGR | (Africa)N (ri)G (bumpe)R |
| 5 | C(L)oak | CANAPÉ | CAPE around AN |
| 6 | l(I)vely | ROSY | YOURS * − U |
| 7 | (G)arbled | INDUES | IN + SUED(e) * |
| 8 | oat(H) | ODDEST | ODD + (t)EST(a) |
| 9 | u(T) | PSST | (s)P(a)S(m)S (u)T |
| 11 | LIG | L(y)I(n)G | |
| 13 | Rhin(E) | RUMONSCH | (CORN MUSH) * |
| 18 | Ca(S)e | LERP | E(a)R in LP |
| 19 | rai(S)ed | STEEN | NEETS < |
| 20 | tar(E) | TUPI | (T + I) around UP |
| 21 | (S)ea | DERAILER | (RILED EAR(l)) * |
| 23 | SEILS | (LIE in SS) < | |
| 25 | p(A)ne | APNEA | PANE * + A |
| 28 | ru(N) | SOAR | SO + A(laddin) + R |
| 29 | (D)ule | JUSTLED | ST in (J + DULE *) |
| 31 | DOLINA | DO + NIL < + A | |
| 32 | (L)ost | APEMAN | MA in (A + PEN) |
| 33 | t(O)n | IN-TRAY | RAY after (IN + T) |
| 35 | mo(V)ing | SAULIE | LIES * around AU(nt) |
| 39 | l(E)ad | AROW | ARROW − R(ockets) |
| 40 | (R)otated | SET | TES(t) < |
| 42 | (S)aints | ESSE | (fre)E + SS + (lov)E |
| 45 | SON | S(uck) O(n) N(oodles) | |