Crossword solution

to 2339: Interesting

Deployment of a GRABBING CRANE (1D) is required to complete entries at 11, 13, 21 and 23. 1A, 19 and the puzzle’s TITLE (35) are synonyms of GRABBING; 5, 18 and 41 are types of CRANE, which is also the surname of Washington Irving’s character whose first name is ICHABOD (28).

to 2337: millefeuille

Links with NAPOLEON were his battles WAGRAM (10) MARENGO (14) JENA (36); card games BACCARAT (1A) PATIENCE (26) BRAG (30A); and gold coins DUCAT (16) EAGLE (22) BEZANT (30D). EBON (17) and AT PAR (35) made BONAPARTE. Millefeuille/Napoleon are cream cakes.   First prize Martin Dey, Hoylandswaine, S.

to 2336: IRRELEVANT

The action that results in 6, 10, 29D and 30 is HAIR-RAISING (7, defined by 5). RAISING A HARE (39) results in 13.   First prize Norma Jacobs, Linton, Wetherby, W. Yorks Runners-up Mrs E.

to 2334: sweet variations

Four types of CAKE (37) were given UPSIDE-DOWN (5): 10D, 20D, 31D and 33D. Four other types of cake were TIPSY (14), i.e. anagrams: 26A (éclair); 40A (Madeira); 7D (Sachertorte); 30D (Dundee).

to 2333: Unchangeable

Answers to clues in italics are SET IN STONE (38). Resulting entries at 1, 2, 14, 25 and 43 (in which the types of stone are rag, agate, opal, pit and metate) are defined by 19, 42, 33, 20 and 6A. First prize Stephen Saunders, Midford, Bath. Runners-up Tim Hanks, Douglas, Isle of Man;Mrs N. Twickel, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire.

to 2331: Anagrams

The suggested words were ESTER (1), REEST (20), TERSE (24), TREES (43), TERES (6D), RESET (9), TEERS (23), STERE (30) and STEER (36). EERST (in the ninth row) was to be shaded. First prize John Newell, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey Runners-up S.C.

to 2330: IMAGE

The poem ‘The Red Wheelbarrow’ (originally ‘XXII’) by William Carlos Williams is considered perhaps the foremost example of IMAGISM.   First prize M. & M.

to 2329: PLACES TO EAT

The paired unclued lights are food items which include a place-name. BATH and BUNS do double duty, BUNS is the plural and BRIGHTON ROCK is the literary reference. The pairs are 1A/22, 8/12, 8/14, 11/14, 13/33, 31A/25D, 38/37 and 39/30.

Solution to 2328: Second coming

The suggested title is Brideshead Revisited, HEEDS/RABID (6A/42) being an anagram of BRIDESHEAD. The six characters, all members of the Flyte family, are ALEXANDER (Lord Marchmain) (21D), TERESA (Lady Marchmain) (37), and their children, BRIDEY (17), SEBASTIAN (8), JULIA (33) and CORDELIA (19). FLYTE (diagonally from the eighth row) was to be shaded.   First prize Daisy Jestico, London SE23 Runners-up Mrs J. Sohn, Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk; E.

to 2327: Exhibition

Five unclued lights (1D, 14, 21, 24 and 41) are titles of paintings by EDWARD HOPPER (5 39).   First prize J.P. Carrington, Denchworth, Oxfordshire Runners-up Jenny Mitchell, Croscombe, Somerset; F.A.

to 2323: alphabetical jigsaw

A Ambition, A Aorist, B Battledore, C Caret, C Cashed, C Coact, C Coalman, C Cuttoes, D Dioxan, D Disaccharides, D Drop, E Eerie, F Ferrer, G Goering, G Guitars, H Heteros, I Ileum, I Impanel, I Impecuniosity, I Interrupts, J Jinn, K Kraits, L Lanolin, M Melanesian, M Minim, M Morphemes, N Neurons, N Nonets, O Optics, P Pots, Q Quince, R Reassessments, R Re-echo, S Seville, S Standing stone, S Sustained, T Toe the line, U U-boat, U Undines, V Vivisect, W Wilted, X Xema, Y Yammer, Z Zenith.   First prize Andrew Vernalls, Thame, Oxon Runners-up Andreas Fabian, Dunsden, South Oxon; and A.

to 2322: In memoriam

The event was THE GLORIOUS TWELFTH (1D/29) (12 August, opening day of the grouse-shooting season). Remaining unclued lights bring to mind ‘grouse’: LAGOPUS LAGOPUS SCOTICUS (43/19: scientific name); RUGOSE and ROGUES (11 and 3: anagrams); GRIPE and BLEAT (39 and 25: synonyms).

to 2321: Cleaner

The key word is DENTIFRICE (38), which can be divided into DENT defining 11, 21, 33; IF 13, 20, 27; and RICE 4A, 12, 18.   First prize Trevor Speak, Dursley, Glos Runners-up Victoria Estcourt, King’s Somborne, Hants; J.S.

to 2320: Crossings Out

When BRIDGE is added to the unclued Across lights and FORD to the unclued Down lights (including each of the three components in 1 Down), they all become names of British towns.