‘23A/27A!’ (four words in total) is a command in ODQ (minus one word) written by one gifted 12A concerning another. Unclued down lights are words linked with the latter that have obeyed the command. 36A suggests the commander’s name in English.
The unclued lights (including a pair) are of a kind. Their unchecked and mutually unchecked letters are revealed in this somewhat irrelevant sentence: ECCLES, LEIGH, LUTTERWORTH, MAGHULL MAKE UDI.
At 2D/22A is a 3D of an 18D with his 30D friend called 24A. The 18D, whose surname the title suggests, famously worked all round 39A (two words), which he thought should be renamed 4A which it now is.
Nine characters who shared a location appear as the unclued lights (one of two words, one of three). Solvers must shade the surname of the person who wrote about them (five letters). Across 4 Mistakenly re-applied to group of fliers (11) 11 Tall palms occasionally covered by quotes for extinct plants (9) 13 Sadly ageing Hon.
The unclued lights are of a kind. Across 1 Vegetables brunettes prepared with bass and asparagus tip (6, 5) 7 Small flat’s ready (3) 11 Instrument panel from aunt’s Skoda collapsed in accident, initially (6) 13 Nearly caught out – that’s wrong (7) 15 Big hit, getting caught – 50 and dismissed (5) 16 Youthful age giving support to province (5) 17 Claim from member in dailies, now and again (6) 18 Juliet’s predecessor, one needing first aid, on reflection (5) 20 Measure about 11 tuns (2,4) 21 Who courted regularly in Shropshire town?
Unclued lights can be arranged to form the first line of a poem and the initials and surname of the poet. Across 3 Places to live are scant with visa changes (7,5) 10 Bank of Scotland returning a hammer? (3,4) 11 Promoting the Yorkshire excursion? (7) 13 Force Celtic out with own goal about to cross the line (2,3,3) 16 Last of rooibos tea reportedly off giving strong dark brew (5) 18 Look!
4D 37A are the first and last words in a word ladder. Six unclued lights are synonyms of the intermediate steps and one more defines the pair and must be shaded. Across 1 Good-looker going about clear of towelling thing? (8) 5 Early spy group whenever near hostel harden (6) 9 I know line in rocky coast – one that smashes stuff up (10) 14 Little ’un to try these first three steps (3) 16 Check unedifying bedroom first (6) 18 Revolting tribe? One unusually nice (5) 22 Classifies associated fragments (7) 24 Eg, Nero, person in twisted city (7) 25 Here!
The unclued lights (five of two words, three singletons and a pair) are of a kind. Across 11 Carpet from Moor includes touch of red, then russet, umber and green (9) 13 Portly chap!? (5,6) 14 Season limited, it has to be said (4) 15 Rehab symptom of drunkards, topers and sots, to start with (3) 18 Foreign curios having energy – a toxic mix (7) 19 Win majority for Brexit result, apparently?
Two unclued lights provide a position and a location (three words). Another entry indicates what happened to the seven unclued holders of the position, to be entered thematically.
The nine unclued lights are all of a kind. Three are of two words. Ignore one apostrophe. Across 11 Contrary French articles entertain leaderless tranche of voters (9) 12 Piece of propaganda follows age-old beliefs (5) 13 GP boss and rep to supply sweets (11) 14 Parroted piece? (4) 18 Fight starts to intensify about lack of space (7) 19 Motto of European farm animals (7) 23 Bats endlessly, defying the odds… Oh boy! First person not out (2,4) 24 Kerfuffle over love (5) 27 Critical wound in casualty (5) 29 Satire events now and then in Oxford?
The unclued lights (including a pair) are of a kind and are located in the yellow squares (two words) when they are read in order along the rows. Across 1 Weight gain shed in horse-drawn carriage (5)4 Fighter in the ring plagues German hounds (5,4)10 ‘Kill mother’ that’s title of text address (6,4)11 Unreal doctor dealing with nerves (6)12 A feudal change that’s sincere over the border (7)14 Endlessly view bottom that’s fat (5)15 Coach to the height of perfection (5)16 Softer and smoother increase.
Within seven unclued lights are spelled out the ingredients of the eighth, which solvers must shade. The unclued lights are suggested by surplus words in eight clues. Across 1 Old men with tastes in small cakes (8) 9 Son in new trial practising beforehand (10) 14 Hogarth’s greatest painting? (3) 16 Cross composer snubbed poet (6) 17 Toodle-pip to old Jeeves? (5) 18 Fierce predator heard in pine forest (5) 22 Who might make you sturdier footwear?
The unclued lights are of a kind. Across 1 Cartoonist has formerly captivated Spain (5) 10 Swayed and quit, sick in the stomach (10) 14 Handles fine fish (5) 15 Have a few days at skate park (5) 16 As support, use skinny leg (4,2) 20 Dancer for one popular in scarlet always (8) 21 A lamb chop?
The unclued lights, all verifiable in a section in Chambers, are of a specific kind. Across 5 Small tree, one a pretentious person brought back (6) 10 Aerial pond adapted for fish in an aquarium (5,5) 17 Takes back onto the staff latter half of Leicestershire Cooks (7) 18 Renault changed gear (7) 20 Evidence of Fall in the Rockies? (8) 25 Stiff paper, way-out neckwear? (3) 28 TV cook Harriott from NE Islay (7) 29 Note: 50 per cent reduced, after setback (3) 31 Is it found down the Strand?
Unclued lights, across single or double entries, one entry used twice, follow a theme which is also thus represented.
The unclued lights are a small fraction of almost 800. Across 12 Oilmen rail about petroleum product (7,3) 13 Came across religious instruction chapter consisting of verses (6) 14 Bleat including angry tirade for this plant? (7) 15 Tea urns of Salvation Army medic, very apt resources, say, for starters (8) 19 Et voilà!
The set of 26 clues leads to solutions beginning with A to Z, one per letter, which then have to be fitted into the grid wherever they will fit. The numbered clues are normal. A Like carrier, off course (6) B Instrument from Juliet at ferry port, cycling (5) C Court case condemned Glitter (9) D Overdid a little drink – date is off (10) E Bird at 36 lough (4) F Loud isn’t very soft (5) G Cricketer Joel’s stores (7) H Worker lost diamonds alone in Star Wars (3,4) I Flag girl’s husband from Cork, say (5) J Port and orange (5) K King missing Queen at German monastery (7) L Resounding soccer win repulsed singer (6) M Spread you love or hate!
Twenty radial lights run from rim to centre, twenty from centre to rim. The circuit next to the outer one contains, clockwise from radial 1, a quotation attributed to the name appearing in the inner ring. The italicised clues contain the definition and a mixture of the solution (beginning at the beginning, or ending at the end of a word) including an extra letter. In clue order, these eight letters provide the source of the quotation. 11 is in Collins. Clues (all six letters) 1 Sick in front of boat – swell! 2 Information of little value is evidence of leak? 3 Weight stirs faulty watches found thereabouts?
A five-letter word (suggested by the title) appears diagonally in the grid and should be shaded. Four unclued lights define it; the other four give examples of it, if regarded as two words. Ignore one accent; 19 Down is in Brewer but not in Chambers.
The initial letter of all 24 Across solutions (whether clued or unclued), when read in clue order, reveal six examples of a quartet. Their significance is explained by the unclued lights when arranged in the correct order, with an apostrophe included. Across 5 Intimate talk that covers tea-pot and Minet (4,4) 9 Long-term jobs for support workers out East (7) 10 Irish waters, look! So horrible!