Crossword solution

The NATIVITY (89) of the ACTOR (37) HUMPHREY BOGART (47/13), the singers ANNIE LENNOX (112/12) and IAN BOSTRIDGE (4/61), the prolific BAT (34) ALASTAIR COOK (124/119), the colourful writer QUENTIN CRISP (90/92), the outré TV star KENNY EVERETT (97D/82), the expert at ‘THE PLAYING OF THE MERRY ORGAN’ (16/6/38) ORLANDO GIBBONS (99/1), the film producer ISMAIL MERCHANT (127/62), the mathematician who also watched ‘THE SILENT STARS GO BY’ (128/103/10) ISAAC NEWTON (9/55) and PRIME MINISTER (93A/79) JUSTIN TRUDEAU (66/39) was ‘ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS’ (50D/2A).

The unclued lights (3 composers, 3 artists and 3 writers) are all buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery. The name should have a grave (accent), which is also thematic as it is a cemetery. First prize Miss Charlotte Bull, Leyton, London E11 Runners-up Mrs J. Warburton, Hertford; Prof. Colin Ratledge, Leven, E.

Each unclued lights include one letter three times. The wording of the preamble precludes ALLYLS (2D which would be the second plural) and IRITIC (an adjective). 29D can be either TANNIN or NANKIN.

The unclued lights are cricket fielding positions. The clues contain the names of 12 present and former England cricketers: Old, Such, Onions, Grace, Jones, Crawley, May, Prior, Wood, Stokes, Cook, Anderson.

‘From harmony, from heavenly harmony, this universal frame began’ opens JOHN DRYDEN’s Song for ST CECILIA’S DAY (22 November, a Monday this year). HENRY PURCELL set it to music.

The unclued lights are TV detectives and their PATCH: 10/8, 13/5D, 15/39, 26/41, 36/33.

The unclued lights are VILLAINS encountered by James Bond.

The quotation is ‘LAUGH, AND THE WORLD LAUGHS WITH YOU; WEEP, AND YOU WEEP ALONE’ from Solitude by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. Her two unclued novels are SWEET DANGER (34/24) and A DOUBLE LIFE (3/29). ELLA (on the perimeter), WHEELER (12) and WILCOX (diagonally from 12) were to be shaded.

Each of the unclued lights can be preceded by OLD.

The unclued lights are all phrases in Chambers meaning ‘HURRY UP — or No T(ime) to Lose’.

The question posed by the song is 11A/ 22A/37A. Suggested by 37A, other unclued lights were anagrams of words meaning sailor: 17A – rating; 26A – mariner; 39A – shipmate; 10D – sea dog; 27D – lascar.

The unclued lights are preceded by ALL (with the title suggesting that ALL is to be omitted). The paired lights are 6/19 and 9/30. First prize Guy Taylor, London EC1 Runners-up Tony Alers-Hankey, London W4; Arabella Woodrow, Riddlesden, W.

The [5 Down] MILESTONE puzzle number 2525 is the product of PRIME numbers 101 TIMES 5 TIMES 5, equivalently the 101 X 5 SQUARED appearing respectively in unclued entries [23A 13D 27D 28A].

The quotation is ‘I DO WISH THOU WERT A [dog] THAT I MIGHT LOVE THEE SOMETHING’. The honest servant is FLAMINIUS. Unclued lights are dogs: TOSA (25), DINGO (28), CORGI (17) and HYENA (38). The source is TIMON OF ATHENS (in the fourth column) which was to be shaded.

The unclued Across lights can be preceded by MISS and the unclued Down lights. MRS 2/15D is the pair.

Unclued lights were synonyms of NOTHING. ‘A trifle’ is one definition of nothing given in Chambers.

The question was ‘What is THE THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY(-)NINTH PRIME NUMBER’ (7A/10/22/40/16/31/32/28)? The answer is 2521, the number of the puzzle, which solvers were to shade.

The unclued lights are the names of the six principal presenters of COUNTDOWN (hence 5 4 3 2 1 as the title). The pairs are 16/33, 22/1A, 24/13, 37/34.

The unclued lights can all be preceded by OLD which is the clued solution at 49 Across. ‘Crocks’ at 5 Across was also acceptable.

As suggested by 11A, other unclued lights were all anagrams of ducks: 12A drake; 16A teal; 28A redhead; 31A smew;  39A widgeon; 40A poker; 10D scoter; 20D shoveller.