Six unclued lights (three of two words) are of a kind, associated with the 16’s 11s, and overseen by 28. Elsewhere, ignore a grave accent. Across 10 Some money held back for bananas (4) 12 16’s members who may face hostility, even crimes, perhaps? (10) 14 Use leverage to get private information (3) 17 Newly demilitarised losing demerits is epic (5) 18 Index of sad ladies, distraught with two sons shot down (7) 22 Quick to admit each trouncing of 16’s enemy?
Clockwise round the grid from 3 run seven dramatis personae; unclued lights give anagrams of two more. The play’s title will appear in the completed grid and must be shaded. Ignore two apostrophes.
Four unclued lights of a kind, one of two words with an apostrophe, include the theme word. The remaining unclued lights (one as a pair), all but the literary solution at 41 Across verifiable in Brewer, can be linked with this theme word. Elsewhere, ignore one accent.
The unclued lights have something in common. None is a real word. Across 1 Promoted male only editor eclipsed (8) 8 Four blood groups maybe, or one group (4) 11 In brief affair, my girl headed off cutting turf (12) 12 Force president to accept Liberal myth (5) 14 Cheerless and tense inside drink factory (7) 15 Special order for Scots post (5) 17 Palm stem hollow? It floats (5) 18 Dotted i missing from coil?
Two contrasting film stars allegedly said ‘1A’ (five words) and ‘49/27’ (six words in total). Remaining unclued lights (including one of three words and two pairs) give the birthplace of one and the place where the other died and the titles of two films in which they starred. Solvers must shade the two clued lights that give their surnames. Fifteen special clues include a definition and a hidden letter mixture of the light. Ignore two apostrophes and two accents.
Unusually this week, one unclued light includes the theme word which can also be linked with all the other unclued lights, which include a pair. One light is made up of two words, -another of three. Ignore an apostrophe. 33D requires solvers to imagine that an apostrophe s is there, too! Brewer confirms the theme. Ignore two accents. Across 10 Albert Einstein embraces Art Deco designer (4) 12 We go out with menial female vassal (10) 15 Policemen drinking port sullied shortened garments (8, two words) 17 Could be a beret without gold plate (5) 18 Capital extremely tense after cold weather (7) 19 Fits of anger with or without touch of dudgeon (6) 22 What the in folk have, of course!
Ten unclued lights comprise a septet with a common theme. Across 1 Running article perhaps subject to trial? (7) 5 Again flick back whip (6) 9 Has Olympian formerly lost heart? (4) 11 Ham risotto moulded with cup (10) 12 Muse caught by crude backing (4) 14 Net damages BBC owe (6) 16 Parisian to go across one French river (6) 17 Readily faint when wife leaves (4) 20 Mean to involve London College of Energy? (7) 21 Supplementary rent, one I returned (7) 23 About to go on a rank island (7) 24 Old flat back in a pre-renewal state?
The unclued lights are all words of a kind arranged into anagrams (all are confirmed in Chambers: one is a proper noun and one is hyphened). The clued light which suggests this activity must be highlighted in the completed grid.
Each of the unclued lights, (four of two words), individually or as a pair can be linked with an unclued name suggested by the title, all verifiable in Brewer. Across 4 Wide support for the chair, one seen on TV?
The unclued lights (one of two words), when paired, have something in common. Across 5 Fly eggs not at all good on head (6)9 Parasite, one not dead, by coincidence (10, two words)14 Stick one swears mildly by (3)16 A chant newly set Hebrew scripture (6)17 One worn by Virginia? Excellent (5)18 Squirted with water, prophet almost died (5)20 Medical specialist is in old sect (7)22 A way to travel, by bike?
At the Spectator Christmas PARTY(90) the TREE (42D) has a FAIRY (22), a STAR (78) and TINSEL strewn around (41, 42A, 50). The STARTER (or 81) is followed by 30 and 75 {3,3}. The TURKEY has come from France (67D), the GOOSE is accompanied by 20 and 31D, and the 102’s are followed by 15, 62, 104 and 109. The PUDDING has 3d’s in it (84). DRINKS (49, 58 {5-4} and 106) are then mixed at 91, 1A and 70, respectively. The table’s centrepiece is an ANGEL (114) and three items (54, 56 and 57) are placed in front of the STABLE. Entertainment by the DAMES (29/94 and 37A {5,4}) is followed by GAMES (12, 46 and 89) and three personalities (64, 88 and 116) from a daily CAROL. 50, 100 and 115 are the first words of three other CAROLS. All these solutions are not clued further.
December 12th was the birthday of two famous men. Unclued lights (including one of five words, one of two words and a pair totalling four words) give their surnames, two examples of each one’s work, and the birthplace of one. The birth-place (7) of the other will appear in the completed grid and must be shaded. Ignore two accents.
In this anniversary year, unclued lights (one of two words) are of a kind. Ignore four accents. Across 1 Regularly curse wee coming back through opening in baby’s clothing (9)6 Foreigner married in Kent (5)11 Irritable, graze on a little yoghurt (8)13 Problem walking beside British Colonel (5)14 Land comedian at hospital with temperature (6)15 Ruined at start of quiz, leading pair lost (6)17 Among papers, one is not secure (4)19 More weird mutant reindeer leaving North Dakota (6)23 Staple books at work turned over (6)24 With tool I damaged can opening fruit (9)30 Working on poker, retired from racing?
The unclued lights (all but one either hyphened or of two words) share a distinctive feature. Across 1 Fun and games of conservative leader amongst those opposing him (6) 7 Cost out red herald’s tunic, once (6) 13 Less convincing Debussy composition …. (5, two words) 16 … and which gets first directed badly by this conductor (6, two words) 20 Belgrade’s football team swapped parts and took the lead (7) 21 Lowest form of bird life (6) 22 Rows between the wedding families!
The unclued lights are of a kind. Across 9 Go in with force, showing initiative (10) 14 Cast is enormous, but not good (3) 16 China’s new restrictive measures (6) 17 Girl showing leg in meadow (5) 18 Best buddies regularly skipped study (5) 20 Mites and ticks from a vehicle by Cretan mountain (7) 22 Best arrangement is to have a meal in home (7) 24 Craftsman is wearing plaid, though topless (7) 25 Keel that’s empty sunk with mine (5) 26 Old Thai coin given a soft touch, we hear (5)28 Won’t carve the bird? Come, come!
Unclued lights are defined by extra words in ten clues and are anagrams of ten of a kind. Elsewhere, ignore an apostrophe. Across 9 Medic with hate for compound medication (4)12 Leper snubbed lethargic Arab (5)13 Mark is very into Islay’s liquor (5)14 A software user acquiring flash technology (5)16 Rugged harrier names ruthless smuggler (10, hyphened)18 No longer do crack pastor banned (5)23 Heartless Maurice disrupted fructification (6)26 Tiny daughter breeding fat hen? (4) 29 Blade saboteur left about (5) 30 Drinks from chaps, maiden refused (4)32 Brilliant surgeon forbidding tenor to die (6)33 LBJ, possibly in stirring motorcade, giving nothing away (8)39 Novice red with idealism indeed!
The unclued lights (one of two words) display a common feature, different in each case.
19 across (two words) is commonly associated with an octet. Each member of the octet defines one further unclued light. Across 11 Masseur also kneaded old reptiles (11)12 Country’s northern frogs, newts etc with no acid measure (7)13 Tease one brunette, vacuous crone (6)16 Very great network’s backing Sturgeon (7)17 Personify old emperor and knight, judge admits (9)18 Stare at faceless spectre (4)21 Metal wires from Scot’s very regal people (7)25 German scientist and short German painter (6)26 Certain to take oral exam almost last (7)27 Memo about area with e.g.
Solvers should heed a warning when deducing ten symmetrically placed unclued lights (two of three words and one of two words). Across 1 Poet entertaining Round Table (5)4 Together, brutes briefly help the old order (9)11 Live international back on a roll (6)12 Sting seen in church right by jetty (7)15 Oddly enough, Chloe broke priest (5)16 Noisy dosser needs time out from extreme difficulty (6)22 Female tailing former PM, an old chicken (8, hyphened)23 Proposition in article again having leader demoted (7)27 Left exercises – one not showing signs of tuition (7, hyphened)29 Yet Helen dancing is a gas (8)32 You picked up excellent dope over in paradise (6)34 Unlimited cut, a bit of a shock for Edmund?
The unclued lights (one of two words and one hyphened) are of a kind, verifiable in Brewer.
