Listener Crossword 4133: Solution Notes
All New from Tiburon
Puzzle explanation
Corrections to misprints in clues gave Aristotle’s definition of a whole, “a beginning, a middle, and an end”. Answers to the remaining clues followed Philip Larkin’s “classic formula” for a novel, “a beginning, a muddle, and an end”, that is, they have their internal letters jumbled before entry. Ambiguities in the jumbling were resolved by the appearances of PHILIP in the top row, LARKIN in the bottom row and ARISTOTLE in the diagonal. The title gives synonyms for “whole” and “novel”.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Misprint | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | PHILIPPI | LIP in (PHI + PI) | |
| 6 | SCHWA | WAS * around CH | |
| 10 | T(A)b | LABEL | (fibu)LA BEL(ow) |
| 12 | PHOSPHOR | PHOS + homophone of FOR | |
| 14 | SCOOSH | S + COO + S + H | |
| 15 | (B)id | NO-TRUMP | NOT RUMP |
| 16 | KULA | (L + A) after UK < | |
| 17 | Re(E)l | TURN | 2 meanings |
| 18 | APOGEE | EGO < in APE | |
| 20 | sta(G)e | SCENE | OBSCENE − OB(iter) |
| 21 | D(I)m | ECLIPSE | ELLIPSE with C for first L |
| 25 | (N)ick | NOTCH | ROTCH with N (knight) for R (rook) |
| 28 | E(N)chant | BEWITCH | BE + WITH around C |
| 29 | st(I)nt | ALLOT | ALL + TO < |
| 31 | NATRON | TR in (NA + ON) | |
| 33 | Tur(N)s | ACTS | 2 meanings |
| 35 | TOES | SET < around O | |
| 37 | (G)rumpy | AGELAST | AGE + LAST |
| 39 | BOVATE | OBVIATE * − I | |
| 40 | GREENLET | GREEN + BELT * − B | |
| 41 | sl(A)w | SALAD | (A LAD’S) with last letter at the front |
| 42 | ELECT | ERECT with L for R | |
| 43 | CRANKILY | CRY around (A + LINK *) | |
| Down | |||
| 1 | (M)ill | PLANT | 2 meanings |
| 2 | Sl(I)pper | PABOUCHE | P + AMUSE-BOUCHE − MUSE |
| 3 | ICER | 2 meanings (cake decorator, killer) | |
| 4 | IMPASTO | (M(onsieur) + PAINTS − N) * + O | |
| 5 | Han(D)out | ISSUE | I + ’S + SUE |
| 6 | (D)ot | SPOT | TOPS < |
| 7 | pi(L)ot | COCKPIT | COCK + TIP < |
| 8 | Routin(E) | HO-HUM | H(ardened) (c)O(mmandos) (be)H(ind) (amb)U(sh) (atte)M(pt) |
| 9 | w(A)rship | ARMAMENT | MEN-AT-ARM(s) * |
| 11 | BREATH | BREADTH − D | |
| 13 | MINUET | MINUTE with last letters switched | |
| 19 | OTHER | THE OTHER − THE | |
| 20 | ratte(N) | SABOTAGE | (BASE GOT A) * |
| 22 | LETHAL | (ALL THE) *; fell = adjective | |
| 23 | Geor(D)ie | SCOTSMAN | MASCOT * in ((Heart)S + (Hibernia)N) |
| 24 | re(A)ls | PIASTRE | PIRATES * |
| 26 | COTINGA | COATING with A moved to end | |
| 27 | RECALL | R(ogu)E + CALL | |
| 30 | tu(N)es | REBEC | REBECCA − CA’ |
| 32 | p(E)rks | TRONC | TR + ONC(e) |
| 34 | Sca(N) | STUDY | STURDY − R |
| 36 | (D)rink | MALT | MAL + T |
| 38 | LAIK | homophone of LAKE | |