The unclued lights, four of two words, individually or as a pair, are of a kind. Across 11 After hint turned up, end of match had leftist outwitted (7) 12 Problem with French name turning page (6) 13 January not starting pleasant round island — likely to be soaked? (9, three words) 14 Break-time first — that’s the general drift! (5) 16 Light-hearted joking when taking tea with F-Fawley (5) 19 Data emerged; half rejected.
Clockwise round the grid from 6 run the names (9,5,7,6,8,7,8) of the leading members of a group. The unchecked and corner letters could make SILVER INVENTORS RUN AROUND and 18 is an anagram of the group’s name (two words). An English version of the name (two words) the group gave to a seminal work will appear diagonally in the completed grid and must be shaded. Ignore one accent. Across 9 Stunner somersaults with worried screech (7) 10 Work encapsulating dry painter’s charm (7) 11 Dancing display (skipping tango, of course) (4) 13 Letter to the Hebrews in honour of religion (6) 15 Enzyme with round shape? No chance!
Doc writes: welcome to Smurf as our third new compiler joining our team. One unclued light, the heart of which is of essence, is linked with eight other unclued lights, verifiable in Brewer. Two further unclued lights are appositely characteristic. One other light is abbreviated. Ignore an apostrophe. Across 4 No can do?
The unclued lights (one of two words) share a feature, different in each case, and one is a past participle. One of the clued solutions shares this feature but is not as long and should be highlighted. One other solution is an acronym.
The second and fourth letters of six unclued lights (defined by surplus single words in six clues) form a set whose name is cryptically suggested by the remaining pair. Across 1 Acknowledged 500 vatu due (6) 5 Raptors seek rats chandler set free (8) 10 Seabird collecting books about one UK fleet? No way! (14, four words) 11 Fellow has our love (4) 16 Poet’s winter?
Eight unclued entries are of a kind. A 9-letter word for their position must be highlighted in the grid.
The unclued lights are of a kind and all have to be ignored in the completed grid. Across 1 Fortune-teller worried small company chairmen. Right! (11) 7 Party goer often over the clutch (3) 11 Spike, I look anaemic! (6) 13 Prize stone cut with edge of blade (7) 15 Become liable to back police force and its patch (5) 18 Similar to a story about Bartok’s finale (5) 20 Outline is almost correct (6) 21 Sleep on board – records on film? (5) 22 About one, delivers a flower (7) 29 European birds in the housetops?
All unclued entries are, unusually, not all unclued; all are different and there are no proper nouns. A repeated cryptic clue fixes not only once such entry, but also the central 2x2 block and, as a result, another such entry. Ignore one accent. Doc writes: we welcome Cheese-Cracker to the compiling team.
Eight unclued entries (two of two words, one hyphened) form a folk rhyme used as the basis for the first lines of a work whose title is the other unclued entry (hyphened). Its author (5 cells) must be highlighted. Elsewhere, ignore two or three apostrophes and an accent. Across 1 Needing complex course, my job’s on the line (12, hyphened) 10 Seaman jailed by extremely benign officer (4) 12 Suspect fresh angle will show solar phenomenon (10, two words) 14 Quadruped found in centre of cowboy’s rope (3) 15 More than one ancient stole prayer books (8) 17 Is consecrating old priest leaving marks?
The unclued lights (five of two words, two pairs and a singleton) are of a kind, verifiable in Brewer. Across 11 Ore obtained by worker underground, a trainee (7) 12 DJ due to broadcast around ten (6) 16 Bound by discretion, one is silent (5) 19 Quandary of back-cover girl (7) 21 Bridge closure? (4) 23 In France the one certain time for relaxation (7) 24 Second bird in winter nest (4) 25 Setter’s quick riposte around the end of June — does it get on your nerves?
We recently lost a fine 13, whose legacy includes 10 (two words) and 9 (two words), and four other unclued lights (including one of two words and a pair). A further two unclued lights combine with a clued one to give an anagram of the 13’s name (two words); the clued light must be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore an accent.
Unclued lights are a set of literary 40s. Their creator is hidden in the grid and should be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore one accent. Across 1 How ducks eat, billions in valley (6) 7 In college, record time to take degree (6) 11 Garden visitor, immature female, tiny size (10) 13 Cleave small, timid mammal (5) 14 Freeman’s compliance with new role (5) 15 Awaiting insurance, ripped off?
The seven clues below have to be interpreted cryptically and are then entered in the grid where they will fit. (In 10 Down, alphabetical order takes precedence in one unchecked letter.
The first three or four letters of eight unclued lights (including one proper name) form a set said to be safe for 1A. Elsewhere, ignore an accent.
1D (two words) 15 10 26 né 21 died on 2 February. Most famous for 7A 37 and 14, he was also in 1A (two words)’s 24. Doc writes: This year some new compilers are joining the team. Today we welcome La Jerezana. We hope that solvers will enjoy the challenges which our new compilers will be offering.
The unclued lights, two of two words and the remainder when paired, are of a kind. Across 1 No fellow for mixing! (8, two words) 8 Over the channel I have left the Bastille, say (4) 12 Garbage has been the empties (5) 14 Seals cases (7) 16 Care costing less than a shilling (4) 17 Overheard boy get down to pray (5) 18 Is leaving Rhodesia, troubled. How sad (6, two words) 22 As a literary quintet getting on thus? (8) 24 Joined the union later!
According to Brewer, a five-word phrase was used to describe a creature, but applies also to a three-word fictional character. The unclued entries, one doing double duty, comprise the phrase, the creature, his victim, the character, and the author’s surnames. Across 1 ‘Poacher’s instruments’ mean whisky (8, hyphened) 6 A jockey’s is shorter than a cricketer’s or swimmer’s (6) 11 Somehow I trust in operating system — as do we?
Unclued lights, all confirmed in Chambers or Collins, are three sets of four words of a kind, each set relating differently to a theme word which must be shaded in the completed grid. Across 11 Religious devotee keeping a church in shade (6) 12 Sloth in tangles in New Zealand trees (6) 13 Country moving forward area for us in Jamaica (5, doubly hyphened) 17 Muppet grabbed by squirrel-monkey (4) 18 Physicist’s ally, one protecting university (5) 19 Ending operation led by twit (7) 23 Message from paperweight?
The unclued lights can be paired in some way or other. One is of two words.
Unclued lights (six of two words, one of three), correctly linked, make ten members of a seasonal set, one light doing multiple duty. Ignore one hyphen and two apostrophes. Nineteen across clues contain a superfluous word; initial letters of these words in clue order form the full name of the creator. The name of the genre is hidden in ten squares in the grid and should be shaded. A first prize of £100, three prizes of £25 and six further prizes of Secret Service Brain Teasers by Sinclair McKay (Headline) will be awarded for the first correct solutions opened. The first four winners will each also receive a bottle of champagne. Entries by 14 January to: Christmas Crossword, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP.
