Crossword solution

The unclued lights are ROMAN CROWNS. First prize Philip Hawkins, Wirksworth, Matlock, Derbyshire Runners-up G.H.

The END (19) of Rameau, a great COMPOSER (1A) of OPERAS (6) and for the CLAVECIN (1D), occurred in PARIS (37) CCL (25) years ago, on 12th September 1764. Born in DIJON (21), he was a friend of VOLTAIRE (26) and an enemy of ROUSSEAU (41). RAM (29) and EAU (31) were to be shaded. First prize Peter Done, Turramurra, Australia Runners-up Jenny Atkinson, Little Chalfont, Bucks; S.J.J.

FURBELOWS — given by initial letters of superfluous words in clues — can be read as FUR BELOW S, indicating the unclued lights in each of four columns in the grid. First prize F.J. Bentley, Tiverton, Devon Runners-up Bertie Ledward, London SW11; M.

The unclued lights are abbreviations of seven English and one Welsh county, which themselves are inflected headwords in Chambers. (Consequently, Hants at 35 Across was disallowed) First prize Christina Casement, West Harting, Hampshire Runners-up R.C.

In Vanity Fair (18/2), George Osborne is associated with 6/30 and 10/31. As Chancellor, he was preceded by 8, 26 and 29.

Songs by KATE BUSH include WUTHERING HEIGHTS, HAMMER HORROR, HOUNDS OF LOVE and CLOUDBUSTING in the perimeter, and (defined by the puzzle’s title) WOW.   First prize Chris James, Ruislip Manor, Middlesex Runners-up Alexander Caldin, Salford, Oxfordshire; Roderick Rhodes, Goldsborough, N.

The unclued lights are BUTTERFLIES (as is the ‘comma’ in the title). The pairs are 7/34A, 13/24, 33/6 and 35/25.   First prize Sheila Beesley, Coventry Runners-up J.

The four works were Waverley (anagram of 12/21), Kenilworth (15/8), The Talisman (29/2) and Ivanhoe (38/37) by SIR WALTER SCOTT (diagonally NW to SE) which was to be shaded. Title: anagram of Redgauntlet.   First prize Roy Robinson, Sheffield Runners-up Sebastian Robinson, Glasgow; M.F.

The key phrase is KNOW WHERE THE SHOE PINCHES (12 38 43). Each of the partially indicated answers is pinched by a shoe, creating entries at 1D, 20, 21, 24 and 29; definitions of these are at 30, 14, 26, 42 and 15.   First prize D.G.

The unclued lights are COMPOSERS whose surnames start with the letter C.   First prize C.R. Haigh, Hassocks, West Sussex Runners-up Kenneth Robb, Linlithgow, West Lothian; Dr R.L.H.

Gerry Goffin, popular LYRICIST (40), died on 19 June 2014. He wrote the perimetric songs IT MIGHT AS WELL RAIN UNTIL SEPTEMBER and WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW and also ONE FINE DAY (2), for which Carole King composed the music. The ‘linked’ GOFFIN (7th row) and KING (7th column) were to be shaded. The title refers to ‘Half Way to Paradise’, another Goffin and King song.   First prize Heather Weeks, Hove, East Sussex Runners-up F.J. Bentley, Tiverton, Devon; A.

The seven 2x2 squares each used the letters STAR in order, and depicted the seven major stars that make up the GREAT BEAR (URSA MAJOR) in THE PLOUGH (aka the BIG DIPPER).   First prize D.V. Jones, Llanfair, Caereinion, Powys Runners-up Barry Roe, Wigston, Leicester; M.

The unclued lights are the titles of the six movements of Nuits d’Eté (Summer Nights in translation) by Hector Berlioz: 38, 10/6D, 30/25, 19, 15, 12/18.   First prize Philip Berridge, Spalding, Lincolnshire Runners-up Richard Foden, Vesenaz, Switzerland; Mrs E.J.

The grid represents Germany, with six bordering countries round the edge, and four cities in the interior, positioned roughly appropriately in relation to each other. 21 across is an anagram of DEUTSCH, which could be added to LAND to make DEUTSCHLAND.

Initial letters of superfluous words in clues give nightingale, quail and cuckoo, specimens of AVIFAUNA (5) represented by FLUTE (43), OBOE (40) and TWO CLARINETS (27 18) in the SIXTH SYMPHONY (13 26D) of BEETHOVEN (14).  The symphony is known as the PASTORAL (1D/41, suggested by the puzzle’s title).   First prize Hugh Thomas, Ixworth, Suffolk Runners-up Steve Reszetniak, Enfield, Middlesex; P.

The unclued lights are ‘nouns of assemblage’, all listed on page 6 of the Word Lover’s Miscellany section in Chambers 2011. Solvers had to shade to highlight COWARDICE (34A + 40A).

Somewhere next to GUYANA (34) and BRAZIL (12), DUTCH (33) is SPOKEN (25), the highest mountain is JULIANA TOP (1D), and the principal SYNAGOGUE (3) and MOSQUE (39) are alongside each other in PARAMARIBO (19) (the capital). ANEURISM (6), an anagram of SURINAME, was to be shaded. First prize Joyce Sleight, Steyning, West Sussex Runners-up S.

According to Fred HOYLE (24), SPACE is ‘only an hour’s drive away if your car could go straight upwards’ (10 13 37 and extra letters in clues). Cars fulfilling this condition are at 5, 6, 16, 21 and 33.   First prize Caroline Arms, Annapolis, MD, USA Runners-up Barry Roe, Wigston, Leicester; B.

The unclued lights are types of CROSS. Solver were required to indicate clearly the FYLFOT at the centre of the grid.   First prize M.

The LITERAL QUINTET (13/22) was TERSE (37). 7A suggests ‘reest’, 40 steer, 5 stere, 6 ester, 19 trees and 26 reset. TERSE was to be shaded. The title suggests ‘teres’.   First prize Gordon Fowler, Whitefield, Manchester Runners-up Richard Doye, Tuddenham, Suffolk; P.J.W.