Listener Crossword 4752: Solution Notes
A Few Far Between by Nutmeg
Puzzle explanation
The clashes formed (in grid order) JUPITER, HEBE, HERA, IRIS, IDA, DORIS, VESTA, CERES, METIS, EUROPA, EROS and MARS, representing the two planets and objects in the asteroid belt between them. The one in the diagonal was Vesta, whose letter sum yielded O, completing the description ASTEROID BELT running from NE to SW.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | ACCIPITER | (C + (p)IPIT) in ACER |
| 6 | BARATHEA | (A + THE + A) after BAR |
| 11 | AHORSE | ASHORE with S moving back |
| 12 | RAWEST | RA + WEST |
| 14 | POLITICKS | TICK in POLIS |
| 15 | EMESIS | ES around ME + IS |
| 16 | ÉIRE | ERIE < |
| 17 | CEDARN | CE + DARN |
| 19 | ODORISE | ROD < in OISE |
| 20 | STAMPEDE | STAMPED + (cli)E(nts) |
| 22 | CHEERIO | 2 meanings |
| 25 | ONCER | (c)ONCER(to) |
| 27 | ADONIS | SIN < after ADO |
| 31 | ARAB | A + BAR < |
| 33 | NICOLA | COLA after IN < |
| 34 | EPISTASIS | (I PASS SITE) * |
| 35 | SLAKES | LAKE in SS |
| 36 | MELANOS | MOS around ÉLAN |
| 37 | TENURED | TEND around URE |
| 38 | MARENGO | N in (MARE + GO) |
| Down | ||
| 2 | CHOMPS | M in CHOPS |
| 3 | COLEUSES | COLE + USES |
| 4 | IRISH | I + (-ISH after R(aj)) |
| 5 | JUSTICER | JUST + ICER |
| 7 | ARCHIVES | AR(omatic) + CHIVES |
| 8 | RAKER | RAKE + (gamble)R |
| 9 | TETRIS | TÊT(e) + SIR < |
| 10 | BESTRID | BD around RITES * |
| 11 | HERPES | HERS around (k)E(e)P(s) < |
| 13 | TEETER | RETWEET < − W |
| 18 | PENTOSAN | (A + SOT) < in PENN |
| 19 | OCEANS | E in (O + CANS) |
| 21 | MIMETITES | ITEM < in MITES |
| 23 | HURTLE | HURT + LE(g) |
| 24 | IONISE | (l)IONISE |
| 26 | RESOLING | RESOLVING − V |
| 28 | DOPER | PE in ROD < |
| 29 | SCALE | 2 meanings |
| 30 | BASER | R after BASE |
| 32 | EUROPEAN | EURO + E in PAN |