Crossword

The unclued lights, (two of two words), are of a kind. Chambers does not give the solution at 12 Across. So as to avoid alternative thematic solutions at 28A, solvers should know that the first letter is the same as the final one.    Across 2    Amblers won’t be adapting military item (13, three words) 12    Reported as irresponsible piano disposal (6, two words) 14    Cure for one at sea (4) 15    Yearn to get control of free shot in hockey (10, two words) 16    Tenements holding ordinary footlights (6) 18    Sayings of one involved in gaol-break (5) 19    Type setter and mason’s assistant?

Unclued lights are six characters from 45 and its author. Five of these undergo 45 in one way before entry; the other two must undergo 45 in another way afterwards (leaving real words). Collins confirms the thematic information.   Across 1    Radical dissent about America’s dirty quality (9) 11    Briefly desiring drug (7) 13    Endlessly long time (4) 14    Apennines loop around from peninsula (13) 15    Loathing crone keeping money (6) 17    Tradesmen are not seen in half a millennium (5) 18    Bird from north, e.g.

Each of fifteen clues contains a misprinted letter in the definition part. Corrections of misprints spell the four-word title of a work by an artist. Answers to clues in italics are to be treated and entered in the grid as indicated by this title; definitions of resulting entries are supplied by unclued lights. Two clued lights, symmetrically opposite each other, form the artist’s name treated as indicated by part of the title; these lights must be shaded as indicated by the rest of the title.   Across 1    Press covering hollow revolutionary fad?

This puzzle is a landmark for D(0)C: his first crossword appeared in The Spectator in the issue dated July 4th 1981 and his puzzles have appeared almost every third week since then. The unclued lights (three of two words) and the others when paired correctly represent initially the total which D(0)C reaches with this puzzle.   Across 7    This week’s theme has nothing in it for me! (3) 11    Channel’s only books (6) 13    Fruit and nuts (7) 15    Capital loss had affected savings accounts, originally (5) 16    Players training in small college court (5) 17    Welcome note during auction (6) 18    Wearing a hat, with a glazed look?

Clockwise round the grid from 16 run the titles of four works (4,4,9,6,1,5,3,5,3,4,6) by a late great 3 (two apostrophes) followed by the 3’s initials. The remaining unclued lights combine to give a further such title (three words in total). Elsewhere, ignore an apostrophe.

‘21D/14’ (four words in total) is an instruction (in ODQ) with which solvers will comply by inserting the remaining unclued lights. The source of the instruction will appear diagonally in the completed grid and must be shaded.

The unclued lights (one of two words) can be resolved into three associated trios which are not the solution to the problem. Solvers have to search the completed grid and then highlight the trio which does so.   Across 11    Maigret’s sidekick has read case in French (5) 12    Those in the band that take some beating (5) 15 The military can stand this (6, two words) 16    Is he blotto permanently?

The same 26 appears six times in 1D. Remaining unclued lights exemplify its different meanings. The 26 will appear diagonally in the completed grid and must be shaded.   Across 7    Chief cycling daily (4) 11    Young man has time for special author (5) 12    Food Victor feeds forces (6) 13    A road alongside hill in Cheshire? (7) 15    Heart of some lady fair (4) 17    Maybe Oxford lecturer has eyepiece with unique cavity (10) 18    Water casks?

The puzzle marks the centenary of the death of a person whose name is formed by two unclued lights. Five unclued lights (three of which consist of two words each) are titles of 24 by the person in question.   Across 1    Language in queue around noon (5) 11    Fly low and pass round lake (10) 13    Gets excited about good idea to produce aubergines (9) 15    Growl resounded around (4) 16    Specific attempt to restrict drip (7) 17    Empty space behind label apart from mark like a birthmark (7) 18    Cross and tense, short of time (3) 19    Hibiscus, some arranged completely in line (10, two words) 21    Old vinegar in bottles I left (5) 27    Fever uncertain?

The solutions to twelve clues, all of which lack definition, have to be adapted as the title indicates before the resulting word is entered in the grid. These resulting words are of a kind. Chambers does not give 4D.

Eight unclued lights are of a kind; the remaining two complete four words from a quote, which is appropriately positioned and must be highlighted.   Across 12    Old noble returning 50 eggs (4) 13    See adult in Moroni, perhaps, as this? (8) 14    Confusion restrained in mediocre way to play (9) 15    Latin on air for listener?

Each of ten clues comprises a definition part and a hidden consecutive jumble of the answer including one extra letter. Extras in Across clues spell a definition of three unclued lights, and extras in Down clues spell a definition of three unclued lights; these definitions combine to spell a definition of three unclued lights.   Across   1    Provided police report, quite emollient (8, hyphened) 8    My mistake, very big, about work (4) 11    Deprecators doubted nuclear survival (12) 14    Nervous man among drunkards returning jar (7) 17    Study odd parts of test for negative effects (5) 22    Tasted cabbage, mostly acceptable with wine (8) 23    Sailor has worked in Cornish town (7) 24    Hemingway?

One unclued light is the origin of the remaining unclued lights (three of two words), individually or as a pair.

The unclued lights (one of two words), correctly paired, are of a kind and are defective in the same way. Elsewhere, ignore an accent.   Across 1    Indecision of poet shortly to tour America (8) 5    A band restrains it likewise (6, two words) 14    Judge half a fool (3) 16    Shrewd to capture rook in tight opening (6) 18    Fold in applicant’s heart (5) 20    Accumulate leave, by the way (7) 24    To put it another way, some drank, but the ...

Each of nine clues contains a misprinted letter in the definition part. Corrections of misprints spell a two-word phrase. Clues in italics are cryptic indications of partial answers; in each case, the indicated part must be placed as suggested by the thematic phrase to create the full answer to be entered in the grid. Resulting entries (one of which is a two-word name) are defined by unclued lights.

The unclued lights, which include the German eighth, are of a kind. Ignore all accents.   Across 1    Lines fish in strips (8) 6    Dads receiving trophy before drinks (6) 10    Being against work place on outskirts of Arundel (12) 11    Children are a bone of contention (5) 17    Sentence lout over pinching high-class rescue aid (8) 21    Disorder of a pair on a seesaw (8) 23    Middle-Easterner troubled earls in team (7) 25/26    Digital extremity with nothing missing in part of fortification (6) 28    Goodness!

An unclued light is a name shared by two persons, one of whom is fictional. Remaining unclued lights give names connected with one or other of these persons. Solvers must shade the shared name. Elsewhere, ignore an apostrophe and two accents.

Six words (one with American spelling) read clockwise in sequence round the perimeter. Each of seventeen clues comprises a definition part and a hidden consecutive jumble of the answer including one extra letter; the extras spell a two-word definition of the perimeter words. Letters in corner squares and those adjacent to them could make STEPS RING, SA.

The unclued lights (one of two words and one hyphened) are of a kind, all verifiable in Chambers.

Two pairs of unclued lights are theme names. Remaining unclued lights aren’t in themselves thematic, but their unchecked letters complete a book title, and part of its sub-title, in two symmetrically placed, curving lines reading down. Both phrases are (14, three words) and need highlighting. The ODE confirms 19, 28, and 43.