Listener Crossword 4364: Solution Notes
Plants by Ottorino
Puzzle explanation
ONE/ALL and O/A were interchanged in clues, suggesting “All for one, one for all” from The Three Musketeers by Dumas père. Letters removed from clues spelt Violetta, the heroine of La traviata by Verdi and Piave, which was inspired by The Lady of the Camellias by Dumas fils, in which the heroine was named Marguerite, a different flower. In the grid, VERDI replaces DUMAS and another A for O makes PAPAVER and AMARANT. For 7ac, CHAPKA (with CH = Switzerland) was also accepted.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Modified word | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | D(ALL)es | RAPIDS | PAID * in RS |
| 7 | c(A)p | CZAPKA | (CZ + PK + A) around A |
| 12 | GOETHE | GO + (sublim)E + THE | |
| 14 | POPADUM | POP + A + D(eep-fry) U(ntil) M(ade) | |
| 15 | STEMS | 2 meanings | |
| 16 | ORISON | (I + SO + (wi)N(os)) after OR | |
| 17 | ALL ONE | ALL + ONE | |
| 18 | Sc(O)lds | RATES | (w)R(i)S(t) around TEA * |
| 19 | TRIANGLE | TANGLE around (st)RI(ng) | |
| 22 | ph(ALL)in | POISON | (IS + ON) after OP < |
| 24 | r(A)cket | REIRD | DRIER < |
| 25 | sh(O)ck | STOUN | (Ario)STO UN(iquely) |
| 27 | AITUS | A + IT + US | |
| 30 | bey (-V) | VALIS | VIS around AL(l) |
| 32 | sc(ALL) | HUMBLE | TUMBLE with H for T |
| 34 | OXIMETER | EXTEMPORISATION * − PIANOS * − T | |
| 36 | PAEON | (NO + E + AP) < | |
| 38 | AS MUCH | AS + MUCH | |
| 40 | ELVERS | (DOVER SOLES − DO − SO) * | |
| 41 | ERHUS | (ov)ER HUS(tling) | |
| 42 | ETAERIO | (CHEERIO − CH) around TA | |
| 43 | plant (-I) | KENTIA | KENT + I + A’ |
| 44 | p(A)rt | SIDERS | homophone of CIDERS |
| 45 | Thr(ONE)s | ANGELS | (GEL + S) after AN |
| Down | |||
| 1 | Pops (-O) | REPORTS | PORT in RES |
| 2 | AMORANT | MARATHON * − H | |
| 3 | PIPIT | PIP + IT | |
| 4 | DADOS | ADO in (D + S) | |
| 5 | STUNT | (STRUT around UN) − RU | |
| 6 | AGMA | (pr)AGMA(tist) | |
| 7 | singes (-L) | COALING | CAJOLING * − J |
| 8 | ATTONE | (AT + ONE) around (par)T(ner) | |
| 9 | st(ONE) | PHENGITE | (THE + NE(w) + PIG) * |
| 10 | (ALL)eyed | AISLED | A + IS + LED |
| 11 | pr(O)m | PASEO | SAP < + E + O |
| 13 | EME | (espous)E + ME | |
| 20 | Rip (-E) | ROGUE | RUE around (O + G) |
| 21 | one (-T) | ARAB | (be)ARAB(le) |
| 22 | Sh(ONE) | POLISHED | (I HELP DO + S(ports)) * |
| 23 | in (-T) | IN SE | (SN + IE) * |
| 26 | SHTCHIS | ((’S + THIS) around H) around C | |
| 28 | UXORIAL | (yo)U + X + I in ORAL | |
| 29 | SENSORS | SENIORS with S for I | |
| 30 | B(ONE)s | VOMERS | MOVE * + R(eaches) + S |
| 31 | IMMUNE | CONSUMERISM * − CROSS * | |
| 33 | LAVER | RAVEL * | |
| 35 | RETIA | RET + I + A(irline) | |
| 36 | B(A)ld | PLAIN | POLICEMAN * − COME * |
| 37 | EERIE | (l)EERIE(r) | |
| 38 | B(O)x | ARK | ((Barto)K RA(vel)) < |
| 39 | bulk (-A) | HEAP | SHAPE * − S |