Listener Crossword 4745: Solution Notes
Linebacker by Craft
Puzzle explanation
The puzzle marked 160 years since the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, the first underground passenger line, for which CHARLES PEARSON campaigned. The clashing letters were the initials of the railway’s original stations: Bishop’s Road, Edgware Road, Baker Street, Portland Road, Gower Street, King’s Cross, Farringdon Street. The clashes were in geographically accurate positions and the line drawn to connect them passed through cells that contained METROPOLITAN. The extra words in clues, when respaced, gave the modern equivalent of the railway, “Tub/e f/rom P/adding/ton to/ Far/ring/don”.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Extra word | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across | |||
| 1 | ZEPHYR | HYPE * in (Z + R) | |
| 5 | CHARLESTON | (LANCERS THO’) * | |
| 13 | OROGEN | (O + GEN) after OR | |
| 15 | tub | ACAJOU | ACA + JO + U |
| 16 | OBSCURE | OBS + CURE | |
| 18 | ANI | (Jav)AN I(sland) | |
| 19 | ETYMA | E(nglish) T(erminology) Y(ou) M(ay) A(gree) | |
| 20 | ECCO | (pros)ECCO | |
| 22 | ef | EXPELS | EX + PELS |
| 23 | TAIT | 2 meanings | |
| 24 | APHTHA | (Lithogr)APH THA(t) | |
| 27 | PORRECTIONS | (P + CORRECTIONS) − C | |
| 28 | RETROBULBAR | BLUB < in (OR TEAR + R) * | |
| 30 | HENNAS | (HEN + AS) around N(ative) | |
| 33 | romp | EELY | (Y + LEE) < |
| 34 | LOAMED | (A + D + MOLE) * | |
| 37 | GORE | GO + RE | |
| 39 | adding | AMATE | A + MATE |
| 40 | ELO | (m)ELO(n) | |
| 41 | COWFISH | COW + FISH | |
| 43 | BEGIRD | BRIDGE * | |
| 44 | VOLOST | V + O + LOST | |
| 45 | DISAPPEARS | D + I(taly) + PEAR in SAPS | |
| 46 | ONE-WAY | (NEW + AY) after O | |
| Down | |||
| 1 | ZOOEA | ZO + O’ + EA | |
| 2 | ERIC | 2 meanings | |
| 3 | Tonto | POOCH | POO(dle) + CH(ow) |
| 4 | YES | AYES − A | |
| 5 | CRUX | CRU + X | |
| 6 | HARPO | OPRAH < | |
| 7 | far | REAL | (secu)RE AL(armingly) |
| 8 | LINGER | LINGER(ie) | |
| 9 | SKELTER | TREKS * around EL | |
| 10 | TATTINGS | TAT + THINGS − H | |
| 11 | NOMINA | NOMA around IN | |
| 12 | QUATS | SQUAT with first letter lowered | |
| 14 | KEEP BACK | PEEK = KEEP BACK | |
| 15 | AITCH | ITCH after A | |
| 17 | BOTRYTIS | ((no)B(le) + ROT IT’S) * around (winer)Y | |
| 21 | CHOLERA | (s)CRA(p) around HOLE | |
| 25 | PREMED | P(atient) + REMEDY − (therap)Y | |
| 26 | ASKED | AS + OKED − O | |
| 27 | PULL-UP | PULL-UP is palindromic | |
| 28 | Ring | REARM | REAR + M |
| 29 | AMOUR | AM + OUR | |
| 31 | NOHOW | homophone of KNOWHOW | |
| 32 | FELTY | DEFTLY * − D | |
| 35 | OOZE | ZOOEA * − A | |
| 36 | EWES | homophone of U’S | |
| 38 | Don | RUSA | R + USA |
| 42 | ION | IO + N | |