Crossword

Singers will know that where ‘Q’ = ‘the number of’: Q34/22A x Q41/39/1D x Q3/8/38 = Q the 14. 41/39/1D is a 7D. 3/8/38 is four words in total.

The unclued Across lights (including a pair) are of a kind and the unclued Down lights can be preceded by another (associated) word.   Across 1 To obtain acknowledgement, order direct (6) 13 Love making fuss about ... (5) 15 ... drink in The Wheatsheaf in encampment (5,4) 21 Coolness of pal stoned by wild mob (6) 22 Put up elsewhere, Spooner’s man phoned (2-4) 26 Perform some chorus in Gerontius?

  22 5 42 14 25 31: 29-40, 10-26.

Around the perimeter, beginning at square 1, is a line of poetry (seven words, in ODQ) followed by the title of the poem (six words; one abbreviated word in the original title must be written out in full). Remaining unclued lights are of a kind, suggested by the quotation.

The unclued lights (one of two words) are of a kind.   Across 1 Bringing down plane that was used on D-Day (7,5) 12 Heart tremor? (10) 14 Member in bar, musing (3) 17 Folds in damask curtains partly drawn back (5) 18 Married? Possibly him!

The unclued entries comprise two authors and a work of fiction, attributed by one author to the other. Each author occupies two unclued entries. Four of the unclued entries are two words each.

Round the grid from 1 runs a quotation (1,3,4.2,5,3,5,3,2,6) from a play followed by the dramatist’s name (two words). Two pairs of unclued lights give the name of the speaker and a sparring partner. Elsewhere, ignore an accent. Across 9 Romeo sharing bathroom with a woolly bear?

The unclued lights, two of two words, and including four pairs using two of the unclued lights twice, are of a kind.   Across 1 Metal-workers task expanded reportedly to include trophy (4-4) 11 Bill’s new car. Capital! (5) 13 A way to work out the last part of Hedda Gabler, possibly (7) 17 Patrols out with new steel breastplate (8) 21 Dark patches from red-top special getting loads of money (8) 23 Charladies had omitted mixing pastries (7) 25 Crust of bread, for starters. Yes! (3) 26 River several recalled with nothing missing (3) 28 Old boys’ meeting concerning wedding (7) 29 Protection for half a day’s almost hell (8) 34 A fraction of Satanism in another form (8) 35 A river?

The unclued lights (including two pairs, one of which is three words, and one single light of three words) are of a kind, as found pleasingly in Brewer. Ignore three accents and one apostrophe.

Somewhere in 23D 30 July is important. Remaining unclued lights (including two pairs and a trio) give the place’s capital city, one of its volcanoes, an indigenous reptile and its national anthem. Its former name (three words) appears diagonally in the completed grid and must be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore an apostrophe.   Across 1 Observe switch in fashion (4) 7 Brit abroad demolished fibros (6) 12 Lion beginning to nibble wader (5) 13 Jenny produces a lot of herrings (250) (5) 15 Secure sheep that’s penned (3,2) 18 Loose covers partly dry (4) 20 Harrow titan loses it (4) 21 Groom accepts alien child (3-4) 22 Fabric had by Lady of Shalott?

The unclued lights (two single words, one a proper noun, four pairs and one trio) share a certain feature.   Across 4 Insightful patient, ever worried (11) 11 Report of joints at hideout in London suburb (7) 12 Instruction to massage deep’s not hard (6) 16 Fears one is concealing crime (5) 19 Escape from hospital, heading off to shelter (7) 23 Alien resident in El Salvador producing ipecac and suchlike (7) 25 Goes easy on the French in tears (7) 30 I came from Rome, my lad, for game (7) 32 Effective contact with cricketer Plunkett (not married) and one child (7) 34 = f....

Five unclued lights are descriptions of another (four words), from another, by another (two words). Elsewhere, ignore one accent.

11 Across (two words) suggests the other unclued lights, which are all one-word anagrams of words of a kind (one of two words).

The cryptic title of this week’s crossword leads to a five-letter representation of the theme. The unclued lights include two pairs; one solution has three words and six others are of two words.

Six unclued entries comprise systematically ordered non-words thematically linked by a normal entry, itself unclued.   Across 1 Awaiting consideration, poor hippie teen holding nothing back (2,3,8) 11 Most of back pain almost leaves (7) 12 Some over-50s right about Hindu music?

Clockwise round the grid from 7 run the names (8,5,3,3,8,3,8,7,7) of six members of a winning set, the other three members forming the unclued lights (including two of two words). Solvers must shade the two clued lights giving further relevant names. Across 8 Seaweed aged sheep gobbled (5) 9 One’s advanced banking system backing Eastern art (7) 10 Love of French poetry (3) 11 Spiritual father a pub ruined (4) 13 Plant right in marshland (4) 15 Porcelain lid in the White House? (5) 16 One thousand and eight lumps of sugar?

Reading clockwise around the perimeter are six theme words, in random order, one of which starts in square 38. The other two theme words are the unclued lights, one of which can be preceded by one normal solution which solvers should highlight.   Across 11 Limerick perhaps, shortened to make an impression (5) 12 Go to the front outside of Leatherhead (4) 13 Hurried, getting caught by Henry’s farm (5) 14 European gentleman concealed gaol-break (7) 15 With due respect to gun-dog – here’s the leader (4,6) 17 Kid is tense. Relax!

Unclued lights can be grouped into three triplets, each associated in a different sense with a keyword to be discovered, of which the title suggests a topical example   Across 7 Assembly line described by writer I don’t know (6) 12 Smaller flower is rarity, but gets propagated (9) 13 Dido laughed, admitting mistaken views (5) 15 Magic as hospital overcomes shortage (9, two words) 16 Buttress, stone, penetrated by Edmund (6) 20 Celebrate about weed doing farrier’s work (7) 21 Do a Chinese for Mormon perhaps (6) 24 Loose women once simpered stupidly (8) 26 One terrible noise echoing from nests (4) 27 One can’t write in this good book (3) 29 One studying Rabbit, Run (4) 32 With restrain.

Clockwise round the grid from a point to be determined run the names of four knights (2,5,5,5,5,8,5,3) followed by what they are (two words). A clued light tells how many 35 they have amassed between them, while a pair of unclued lights indicate a 17 linking all four.   Across 8 Wearing medal one accepted (5) 9 Estate in Albania attracting hatred (7) 10 Into toads? Wrong – I’m into dragonflies (9) 12 Gosh, old Oscar gains medal!

The unclued entries have something in common, and are the most recent of their type. One umlaut should be ignored in these entries, and elsewhere an accent.   Across 1 Perhaps not swinging is sordid (5) 4 I might get candy floss. Like some chocolate? (9, two words) 10 State with importance line interrupts fluency (10, two words) 11 Local watery path to utilise crossing island (6) 12 Recycled material for further education that’s fabulous (7) 14 Art cleaning the same estate (5) 15 Some anxiety managing roots (5) 16 Rowboat in trouble without this at first?