The unclued Across lights are synonyms or a meaning of BACK and are therefore entered backwards in the grid. The unclued Down lights are synonyms of UP and are therefore entered upwards in the grid. First prize Adam Branscombe, Fulbourn, CambsRunners-up Joanne Aston, Norby, Thirsk; Susan Bell, Reeth, N.
The unclued lights comprise the seven themes (here in upper case) and six theme-words beginning with A to F. ARTISTS: Andy Warhol, Banksy, Canaletto, Dali, El Greco, Fragonard BATTLES: Anzio, Boyne, Cannae, Dunbar, El Alamein, Flodden CAPITALS: Athens, Berlin, Caracas, Doha, Edinburgh, Freetown DOGS: Airedale, Beagle, Corgi, Dachshund, Elkhound, Fido EQUINES: Arkle, Bidet, Clydesdale, Desert/Orchid, Eclipse, Frankel FLORA: Acacia, Blue/bell, Celandine, Daisy, Echinacea, Flag GREENS: Asparagus, Beet, Celeriac, Dill, Endive, Frijol. The first prize of £100, three prizes of £25 and six prizes of A History of Britain in Ten Enemies by Terry Deary go to the following.
Don BRADMAN (26) said, ‘When you play test cricket you don’t give Englishmen an inch’. The other unclued lights are: CUMMINS (12), URN (27), ASHES (13), and STOKES (32). AUS/ENG, in the seventh row, should be highlighted. The title is taken from the same Bradman quotation.
‘THE HORROR! THE HORROR!’ (4D/18A/3D) is a quotation from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, author of THE SECRET AGENT (9D). The protagonists are MARLOW (31D) and KURTZ (21A) and the tale was told in a YAWL (24A) called NELLIE (26D). Title: abbr. KN = heart of DARKNESS.
The unclued lights yield five phrases in German, all listed in one of the appendices in Chambers 13th edition: 1A, 17&31, 19D&18A, 37&30 and 43&29. First prize Diane Saxon, Stockport Runners-up Patrick Macdougall, London SW6; Martin Plews and Anne Greenwood, Horsham, W.
The unclued lights are first names of authors known by their initials: W.H. Auden (31), A.S. Byatt (40,2), T.S. Eliot (7,10), C.S. Lewis (35,6A) and P.G. Wodehouse (34,4).
The unclued lights (including the pair at 4/41) are the friends of Winnie-the-Pooh in the books by A.A. Milne.
The unclued lights are F1 RACE TRACKS which include the pairs at 15 & 16 and 36 & 26.
The combined fleets of France and Spain met that of England at TRAFALGAR (13) on 21 October 1805. Vice-Admirals NELSON (30) in the VICTORY (27), and COLLINGWOOD (16dn) faced Vice-Admiral VILLENEUVE (19), in the BUCENTAURE (12), and Admiral GRAVINA (22). A COLUMN was later erected in Nelson’s honour.
The eight unclued lights comprise four symmetrically placed ‘cycling pairs’, as cryptically hinted at by the title.
The WORD-BUILDING series is: eat (40A), tare (8D), cater (37A), recant (11A), certain (27A), canister (2D), nectaries (3D), transience (19D), incinerates (1A).
Unclued lights are pairs of words as referred to in the UK and US: 1A/28, 10/26D, 14/40, 24/41 and 36/7.
‘SWEAR’ ( 31D) is uttered thrice by the ghost of King HAMLET (3D) who was the victim of ‘MURDER MOST FOUL’ (37A/34D/9D) where his FRUIT (14A) grew (his orchard). His son, whose tragic friend was OPHELIA (36A), addresses the ghost as ‘OLD MOLE’ (18D). See Hamlet I.v.145-162.
The list of 21 letters comprises abbreviations, listed in Chambers.
Unclued lights all follow MAGIC. (41A MOUNTAIN and 42A FLUTE should be preceded by ‘The’).
MADRIGAL (the compiler) is linked by MAD (completing words phrases: BRAINED, COW DISEASE and WORT), RIG (meanings: SWINDLE, EQUIP and ARTIC) and AL (abbreviation for: ALABAMA, ALUMINIUM and ALBANIA). First prize Will Devison, Shaldon, Devon Runners-up Don Thompson, Bolton; Phillip Wickens, Faygate, W.
Each of the unclued lights contained the name of a bird (i.e. which was CAGED). First prize G.
In Ian Fleming’s DR NO (35D) JAMES BOND (21D) orders a MEDIUM VODKA (20A, 29D) DRY MARTINI (7A, 13A),SHAKEN (12D) and NOT STIRRED (19D) First prize Valerie Fish, Whittlesey, Cambs Runners-up Paul Billington, Blackburn, Lancashire; Mike Carter, Kirkby Overblow, Harrogate.
Eight entries possess ‘titular properties’ in two ways. First, they are unclued! Second, they, as per the title CLUE.LESS.NESS, can all be divided into three-word charades: COMP.UTERI.SING, TRIST.RAMS.HANDY, SCRUB.BING.BOARD, ENIGMA.TIC.ALLY, BLESS.THIS.HOUSE, SEVER.ALF.OLD, GRAVE.YARD.SHIFT and DISC.OUR.SING. First prize Leslie Verth, Newton Mearns, Glasgow Runners-up J.E.
The unclued lights reveal the titles of six Westerns: 1A, 1D/38/26, 18/5/43, 20/11, 23 and 45/24.