Listener Crossword 4935: Solution Notes
Smudge by Smudge
Puzzle explanation
The grid represented the painting The Ambassadors by H(ans) HOLBEIN, famous for showing by ANAMORPHOSIS a SKULL forming a large “smudge” across the lower part of the picture. The two wordplay-only answers ELCHEE and LIEGER were ambassadors, with a GLOBE and a LUTE shown in roughly the correct positions.
Clue explanations
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | ADAMOV | (re)AD A MOV(ie) |
| 5 | PTOSIS | (PT + IS) around OS |
| 10 | PAEON | PAEON(y) |
| 12 | EPISTLE | (settl)E + PILE around ST |
| 15 | GLEBE | GLEE around B |
| 16 | TACTISM | (AC + ’TIS) in TM |
| 17 | HALER | 3 meanings |
| 18 | STEERAGE | SUFFRAGE with TEE for (U + F(ees) F(alling)) |
| 20 | ACETIC | (CITE + CA) < |
| 23 | LUCE | L(a)U(n)C(h)E(d) |
| 26 | LEAL | SEAL with L for S |
| 27 | ODOURS | SO < around DOUR |
| 29 | CELADONS | ALEC < + DONS |
| 35 | OVOLO | O + VOL + O’ |
| 37 | ROKELAY | (ROYAL + K) * around E |
| 38 | NARAS | (recko)N A RAS(pberry) |
| 39 | ANALYSE | A + SYLVA < in NE − V |
| 40 | PORTA | PORT + A |
| 41 | OLLAMH | HALLO < around M(odernist) |
| 42 | CLUE IN | NUCLEI * |
| Down | ||
| 1 | APHTHA | (Monogr)APH THA(t) |
| 2 | SAGAS | SAG + AS |
| 3 | MORTS | M + ORTS |
| 4 | WEEST | WEES + T |
| 6 | NIGH | NIGHT − T |
| 7 | OSCAR | O + SC + A + R; ref. radio communication alphabet and Shakespeare play |
| 8 | STELA | (SEL + A) around ’T |
| 9 | SEARED | SEA + RED |
| 11 | ELCHEE | LEECH * + (diseas)E |
| 13 | POMELO | POO around MEL |
| 14 | LIEGER | LIEGE + R |
| 18 | SILD | SILO − O + D |
| 19 | ELDS | ED’S around L(ong) |
| 21 | CLEVER | C + LEV + ERE − E |
| 22 | CHORUS | SUCH * around OR |
| 24 | GUSLAR | REGULARS − RE with S moved up |
| 25 | SCOPAE | A in SCOPE |
| 28 | SKYMAN | (ri)SKY MAN(uscript) |
| 30 | LOYAL | LOL around (Y + A) |
| 31 | ALULA | AULA around L |
| 32 | NONES | NOES around N |
| 33 | HERON | HEN around RO(se) |
| 34 | FASTI | (Apr)I(l) after FAST |
| 36 | ONYX | (b)ONY + X |