Listener Crossword 4638: Solution Notes
Head-start Clues by Elgin
Puzzle explanation
The four “hunters” were knights who came close to finding the Holy Grail. The lettered cells spelt out Chrétien de Troyes, whose French poem Perceval described the quest for the grail. In it, Perceval stays with the Fisher King and sees a procession of objects including a lance dripping with blood, an ornate grail and a salver. He refrains from asking the Fisher King about these and thereby fails to find the grail (and heal the wounded king); “clues” 44 and 33 were questions that he should have asked.
The grid clashes could be resolved to enable SIR GALAHAD to be traced in knight’s moves, but then the unused E was not unique in 44ac and 33dn (both having an E from crossing entries), and there were multiple arrangements of GRAIL in the left side of the grid. The correct solution was to choose different clash letters and trace INDIANA JONES in the other direction, with the discarded letters completing BRIDGE and BLADES and providing a unique arrangement of GRAIL. In the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the hero avoided rotating blades, jumped across lettered slabs, crossed a rock bridge and found the grail. The puzzle’s title was an anagram of THE LAST CRUSADE.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 12 | INHERE | (p)IN HE RE(moved) |
| 13 | INCONNU | ICON around N + NU |
| 14 | PECTIN | (INSPECT − S) with parts swapped |
| 15 | ENSCONCES | E(at) N(aughty) + SCONES around C(ream) |
| 20 | GIRDLES | DES with GIRL around the first letter |
| 23 | RED ROSES | (OUR SENDER’S) * − U − N |
| 25 | DECADES | DES around DACE < |
| 27 | LENT | LENT(o) |
| 29 | SPENT | S + PE + NT |
| 30 | ELOIN | (th)E + LOIN |
| 32 | EALE | IF LAERTES = (EALE + FIRST) * |
| 34 | VARNISH | VANISH around (Octobe)R |
| 37 | HATBAND | TBA in HAND |
| 41 | LUTEOLOUS | (c)OLOU(r) in LUTES |
| 45 | TERRENE | TEENE around RR |
| 46 | OBEYED | OED around BEY |
| 47 | ODESSA | ((p)ASSED + O) < |
| 48 | TYPIST | (IS PRETTY − RE) * |
| Down | ||
| 2 | IN CODE | INC + ODE |
| 3 | HEED | homophone of HE’D |
| 4 | ERNES | homophone of URNS |
| 5 | REE | (whe)RE E(arth); (fi)RE E(rupt) |
| 8 | ACCRETE | ARÊTE around (C(limb) C(an)) |
| 9 | WOOD | 2 meanings |
| 10 | ANN | ANN + EX = ANNEX |
| 11 | INCEDE | IN + CE + PARADE − PARA- |
| 16 | SESTETTE | (SET SET SET − S) * |
| 17 | FELLAH | FE + HALL < |
| 18 | ANOINT | NATION * |
| 19 | TELL | 2 meanings; T(h)E(n) L(i)L(y) |
| 21 | LIPPED | LIED around (P + P) |
| 22 | DENTON | DEN + TO + N |
| 24 | SELL | 2 meanings |
| 26 | RESALES | (SO DEALERS) * = DO + RESALES |
| 28 | NEAT | 2 meanings |
| 31 | GRATED | 2 meanings |
| 36 | NOBBY | NOB + BY |
| 39 | DUET | DUE + T |
| 40 | PREP | PREP + AY = PREPAY |
| 42 | ERE | (tim)E (o)R (minut)E |
| 43 | SOT | (TO + S) < |