Unclued lights are three sets of three words of a kind, along with a name which connects them all (two words). Something that this name should possess (5), which is also a thematic item, must be highlighted in the completed grid. Across 1 Always bored by job, like rebellion (8) 8 Dancing girls wanting a relief (4) 12 Follow it to leave bathroom (5) 14 Going furtively out of east, moving sinuously (7) 16 A lot of Italian beer for Eva?
The unclued lights, all nouns or verb forms (one is a hyphened plural), include a common feature different in all twelve cases. Solvers are invited to indicate both possible unclued lights at 29 Down. Elsewhere, ignore two accents. Across 1 Stab with a knife (5) 4 Order a gin around river (9, two words) 9 Potential difficulties from awkward Moscow and far North (10, three words) 11 Sad poem which its middle letters spell out (5) 12 Move forward and notice vehicle by church (7) 14 Corn produced by monarch reigning from 1714 (5) 15 Honda car going back and forth in town?
Eight unclued lights (four of two words) are of a kind. Across 1 False prophet faces interjection, perhaps (12, three words) 10 Old soldier heartily opposes Prohibition (4) 12 Women perorate furiously about Welsh sustainable energy source (10, two words) 14 Spell first half of ‘exhume’ wrong (3) 15 Person rebuking extremely restive demonstrator (8) 19 Porky pianist regularly stays in bed (6, hyphened) 22 Such fish are briefly making comeback in channels (6) 24 Onions’ relative originally eaten on knife (5) 27 Playing reggae on street, daughter moved unsteadily (9) 29 Chauvinist dictator’s spirit and energy (5) 31 Mother of singer Grace Jones finally entering Assam?
A nine-word phrase (in five unclued lights, two used twice) opens a work for 1A (three words) by 8 (two words). The work inspired the other two unclued lights. Across 9 A horse’s bridle eventually just as old (7, three words) 11 Outrageous, a chimney turning half black (7) 12 Army team endlessly tense in unofficial lodging (5) 14 US herb and Pacific salmon: can it (6) 16 Rich American left in terminal (5) 21 Are struggling with debt?
The unclued lights (one of two words) can be arranged into two associated groups. Across 1 Company accepts blame having mended harpsichord (7) 5 Pieces of cloth left in islands linked with Turks (7) 9 A jolt makes it open a little (4) 11 Mid-June physical is affected (9) 12 Check mutt beginning to bark (4) 14 Shadows and clouds initially moving from isles in the Clyde (6) 16 Carpet the setter after a fiddle (5) 17 Fabulist seen by river and waters ebbing (5) 20 Hot air rising from the room — with a bit of luck!
The unclued lights, two of two words, are of a kind. Across 1 Eastern divine seen in pilgrimage returning to city (6) 7 Artillery piece shooting from side to side (6) 12 With respect to how ‘Looks’ might be clued? (9, two words) 15 Recorded in public register of the stars following bounder (9) 16 Drove off, having found specs in outbuilding (6) 20 Everton lead practice with life events of footballer (7) 21 Not entirely in bad taste but partly (6, three words) 22 Measures wagons surrounding acre (6) 24 Got off with cooked alibi in important accompaniments (8) 26 Perform – quiet, please – for money! (4) 27 Container, small but bottomless (3) 28 Over the hill? Nonsense!
Clockwise round the grid from 2 runs a quotation (5,3,3,5,6,4,3,4,3,3,4,5) followed by the poet’s first name. Her second name is a clued light which shares a letter with her surname which appears diagonally in the completed grid. Two pairs of unclued lights (including one of two words) give the titles of two of her novels. Solvers must shade all three names of the poet. Elsewhere, ignore an accent.
The unclued lights (five of two words which include three apostrophes) can be preceded by the same word, all confirmed in Chambers and/or Brewer. Across 11 A record bill, getting a pack animal (6) 12 Earthling beginning to excavate rock formation (7) 14 What contains oxygen and is able to girdle the Earth?
Unclued entries are words (one hyphened) or phrases (three of four words each, one of three words, two each of two words), sharing a common direction. Elsewhere, ignore one accent. Across 1 One rep loses a Hebridean (8) 6 Tribute in silver blocks (6) 11 Mediterranean islander getting mercy from another (5) 13 Fairly distribute charge amateur cannot make? (7) 14 Aggressive woman’s cross when a man goes outside (6) 16 Bring up … this? (4) 17 E. coli sat tight – such drugs required? (8) 21 A child getting into musical instrument nearly caught by dance (8) 23 Oceanic winds blow (7) 25 Eight perhaps could be made by this, potting black?
Three unclued lights together form an eight-word question from a well-known song. The song’s protagonist suggests the other five unclued lights (including one hyphened), which are anagrams of words of a kind (including one of two words), all confirmed by Chambers.
The unclued lights (individually or as two pairs), one of three words and three of two words, can be preceded by the same word. All can be confirmed in Brewer and/or Chambers. Elsewhere, ignore one circumflex. Across 1 Day after RAF and army manoeuvres in a rural setting (8) 11 9 comperes going around being always there (12) 14 Train pass daughter lost (7) 16 Nothing odd, sailboats are plenty (4, two words) 17 Way round Germany and coastal French area (5) 18 Broken maypole without a use (6) 22 Councillor points to model on feature of battlement (8) 23 Island garden transformed area (7) 24 Shows with radio critiques?
Elements of four symmetrically disposed unclued lights confirm the 5 Down. Enumerations indicate lengths of clues’ ‘full’ solutions. Across 1 People are pruning every European tree (6) 6 Cook cut gooey rock cake (7) 11 Bishop leaving foundation unaltered (4, two words) 12 Skywriting? (9, two words) 14 Radical Left holds back boy (5) 15 Distort lower grades by class (6) 16 One very leggy girl weed picked up (9) 19 Obtain unlimited happiness (6) 21 Senseless how love ends (5) 22 Baby’s back, bound for Glasgow (4) 24 Harbours shelled on a key date (6) 25 Return right away for departure (6) 31 Ditch outcome of good joke?
Clockwise round the grid from 20 runs a quotation minus one word (1,2,4,4,4,1,4,1,5,4,4,9) followed by an honest servant’s name. Unclued lights exemplify the missing word. The source of the quotation appears in the completed grid and must be shaded. Across 9 Charlie neglected very famous philosopher (5) 10 Boxer a little below par offering excuse (5) 12 Note chap going round institute (5, doubly hyphened) 13 Plant extract in delicacy friend nibbled (7) 15 Singing seamstress active in coastal city (5) 16 Background with cloudy island RSC repaired (5) 18 Yobs in old footwear cycling (5) 21 Takeaway district in protectorate (8) 22 Last letter from Eddie?
The unclued Across lights are of a kind when preceded by one word, as are the unclued Down lights (one pair) when preceded by another. Brewer confirms them all. Across 1 Pointless dissertations are more than this (5) 4 Breathing disorder altered my shape – and me! (9) 9 Companion dressed in fragrant black and white (10) 11 With openers of exceptional note, Surrey usually enforce follow on (5) 12 Time passed quickly, say – it’s sickening (7, two words) 14 Spare change – in Turkey, once?
The unclued lights (one hyphened) have nothing in common.
Unclued lights can be arranged so that, preceded by ‘What is’, they form a question whose answer solvers must shade. Ignore a hyphen.
The unclued lights, two of two words and the others as four pairs, are of a kind. Across 6 Rickety car – one cut off during July (6) 10 House-doctor, game to assist poor maintenance of biological conditions (12) 11 Ten expressions of 14 – just small amounts (5) 14 Appreciation from US actor (6) 17 Drafts of collages (8, hyphened) 21 Did a nose suffer from them? (8) 26 One gets caught in it!
One clued solution can precede each unclued light (four of two words and one of three), all to be found in Chambers, Brewer, songs or sayings. Across 9 Come to as Polyphemus would do? (10, three words) 14 Queen perhaps delaying introduction of legislation (3) 16 Amongst others, some retaliate (6, two words) 20 Word for scars strangely metaphorical — no caret needed (7) 22 Head of college conceals article — makes a pile (7) 24 Hester, a remarkable lady (7) 26 Yours only houses a porcupine (5) 28 Work unit holds possible link with Black Forest menace (7, hyphened) 31 New rites to include completely sober musical pieces (7) 33 He cried — because he couldn’t find a snark?
11 Across (three words) is a phrase suggested by the puzzle’s title explaining how to arrive at the other unclued lights, which are anagrams of words of a kind, all confirmed in Chambers (including two less common spellings).
The unclued lights appeared at the start under the shaded squares reading row by row from top to bottom (two words). Across 5 Touring hotel, arrive at poor area (6) 10 Old driver will show support going about in revelry (10) 12 Resort with edge beside popular island (6) 16 Church collection on foot?
