Listener Crossword 4593: Solution Notes
Death Row by Ifor
Puzzle explanation
The puzzle is based on the rhyme about Lizzie Borden and the murder of her parents:
Lizzie Borden took an axe
And gave her mother forty whacks;
When she saw what she had done,
She gave her father forty-one!
Some across answers had AX (in the American spelling) removed to make the entry word. The extra letters in the other across clues spelt out “Mass. murderer”, referring to the Massachusetts location. The extra letters in down clues gave “shuffle letters from one row”, referring to the top row of the grid, which contained a jumble of LIZZIE BORDEN. FATHER and MOTHER could be placed in either location in the bottom row of the grid; the ambiguity was resolved by (entering) the grid numbers of those two entries, 40 (MOTHER) and 41 (FATHER).
In reality, Borden’s mother was struck 18 or 19 times, her father was struck 11 times, and Lizzie was acquitted of the murders.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| Extra letter | Answer (omitted letters) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| (M)ember’s | BENZIL | (LINE < around Z) after (em)B(er) |
| CLIM(AX)ES | MILES * after C(ourse) | |
| W(A)ry | CRIBELLUM | (BRUCE ILL) * + M(istake) |
| ride(S) | DOZIER | RIDE * around OZ |
| (S)old | FATHER | FAT + HER |
| L(AX)EST | (peop)LE ST(retch) | |
| MAL(AX)ATE | AL in MATE | |
| M(AX)ILLIPEDE | PED in MILLIE | |
| MON(AX)IAL | TESTIMONIAL − (TEST + I) | |
| Rear(M) | MOTHER | (OR around THE) after M |
| ca(U)sed | ORD | (po)OR D(ecision) |
| leve(R) | OVERALLED | (LEVE + L + ROAD) * |
| ca(D)ging | PALLIER | PIER around ALL |
| h(E)aving | POISE | POSE around I |
| POLE(AX) | LOP < + E(nemy) | |
| REL(AX)ATIONS | (L + NOTARIES) * | |
| ho(R)ses | SHOES | HOSES * |
| loos(E) | SOLANOS | (LOOS + ANS) * |
| T(AX)ABLE | ABLET with T moved forward | |
| T(AX)INGS | (IT’S + NG) * | |
| D(R)ead | UGH | CAUGHT − surrounding CAT |
| Down | ||
| resi(S)ting | ADDRESSOR | (ORDERS + A + DS) * |
| (H)ere | BEE | BE + E(re) |
| sho(U)t | BOO | ((n)O (d)O(u)B(t)) * |
| (F)ends | CALF | ((lega)L (staf)F) after CA |
| (F)lake | CALM | L in CAM |
| sa(L)vaged | CELLOS | (COLLAPSE − AP) * |
| ch(E)ats | CHILIAST | (CHATS + (v)I(s)I(b)L(y)) * |
| s(L)ack | DUMP TRUCK | DUMP + TRUCK |
| fac(E)tiously | ERDOS | (ENDORSED − END) * |
| (T)annoy | FEESE | FEES + E |
| Skin(T) | FLENSE | F + LENSE(s) |
| m(E)an | GOMBO | MOG < + BO |
| (R)etches | GRILSE | (GIRL + E(tche)S) * |
| (S)pared | HINT | (S)HINT(o) |
| (F)ails | ILLS | ILL + S(uccess) or (succes)S |
| Hea(R)d | LEADER | DEALER with L(ip-read) and (lip-rea)D swapped |
| sp(O)ilt | LEAL | LEGAL − G |
| Fil(M)ing | LIN | (Fi)LIN(g) |
| G(O)od | LOR | O in (L + R) |
| Ma(N)’s | MORALS | MA’S with ORAL for A |
| scr(E)ams | OPIOID | (PRODIGIOUS + D) * − DRUG * |
| A(R)gued | RIPT | TRIP * |
| came(O) | ULEMA | (c)AME LU(ckily) < |
| (W)ill | ZORILLOS | (ILL + R) * in ZOOS |