Listener Crossword 4448: Solution Notes
Get Me Out of Here! by Nemo
Puzzle explanation
In Edgar Allan Poe’s short story The Cask of Amontillado, MONTRESOR murders his rival FORTUNATO by immuring him in a crypt. Montresor’s family motto is given as NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT. He concludes his narration with IN PACE REQUIESCAT in memory of his victim.
The grid’s design and bottom-up method of entry reflected the building of the brick wall in the story, which was eleven rows high. Other references included the “floor” covered with bones (CRANIA and SCAPULAE in the bottom row), the MANACLE at Fortunato’s head, and the entries CRYPT, CELLA, NAOS (cells), IMMURE, PARIETAL, CHAIN, SMOTHERS, LEAGUER (cask), MOTLEY (worn by Fortunato) and ROQUELAURE (worn by Montresor, spelt “roquelaire” by Poe). Also the clues for AMATEUR, NAOS and RÂLE were references to the story.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Rows | ||
| A1 | CRANIA | RAN in CIA |
| A2 | SCAPULA | SCUL around (A + P(istol) + A |
| A3 | EDO | E + DO |
| B1 | AMATEUR | MATE in AUR(a) |
| B2 | OUP | 2 meanings |
| B3 | CELLA | C + ELLA |
| C1 | SONIC | SON + I/C |
| C2 | ORT | OR + T(rainer) |
| C3 | TEAN | TEA + N |
| C4 | MEU | (pick-)ME-U(p) |
| D1 | LEACH | LECH around A |
| D2 | ALOOF | (A + F) around LOO |
| D3 | AMOUR | MOU in AR |
| E1 | USURE | U + SURE |
| E2 | ROMAN À CLEF | (CLEAN FROM A) * |
| Paths | ||
| 1 | CRIANT | C + RIANT |
| 2 | ICER | 2 meanings |
| 3 | CRUET | CURATE * − A |
| 4 | A QUATTR’OCCHI | AQUA + (CIT(y) + TORCH) * |
| 5 | LICHT | NICHT with L for N |
| 6 | ODALIQUE | O/D + (c)A(l)L(s) I(n) + QUE |
| 7 | ECCO | PROSECCO − PROS |
| 8 | ROQUELAURE | ROQUE + LA + URE |
| 9 | UPLEANT | (PLEASANT − SA) after (yo)U |
| 10 | CHELSEA | 2 meanings |
| 11 | NAOS | N(itre) A(ccumulates) + SO < |
| 12 | TAMPAN | PAN after TAM |
| 13 | RÂLE | MORALE − MO |
| 14 | AL PIÙ | (PAUL I) * |
| 15 | TIMON | TIM(e) + ON |
| 16 | ILLTH | (inst)ILL TH(rift) |
| 17 | NOSE-LED | (DELE + SON) < |
| 18 | COAL-PORTER | homophone of COLE PORTER |
| 19 | ANATASE | ANA + TA + SE |
| 20 | MOONSCAPES | (SPOONER + SCAM − R) *; ref. Juliet, satellite of Uranus |
| 21 | LEAGUER | 2 meanings |
| 22 | CHAIN | CHA + IN |
| 23 | MOTLEY | TOM < + LEY |
| 24 | RUTH | UT in (R + H) |
| 25 | GUMSHOE | SMUG < + H + O’ + (Marlow)E |
| 26 | TALAR | (THEATRAL − THE) * |
| 27 | PLATEAU | PL + A + TE + AU |
| 28 | SAMIOTE | (AM I SO) * + T(h)E |
| 29 | KOLOS | KOS around (L + O’) |
| 30 | SMOTHERS | MOTHER in SS |
| 31 | OUTRED | OUTRÉ + D |
| 32 | IMMURE | (E + RUM) < after I’M |
| 33 | PARIETAL | PA + (LATER < around I) |
| 34 | THEMIS | THE + MISS − S |
| 35 | CAMOTE | CAME around (O + (Stree)T) |
| 36 | PANACEA | PAN + ACE + A |
| 37 | CRYPT | (C + R + PT) around Y(oga) |
| 38 | PYRETHRUM | PYRE + THRUM |