The unclued lights (one of three words and two of two words), individually or as a pair, are of a kind. Across 5 Bit of tiffin is hardly perfect (6) 12 Fail to see active service (5) 13 Waistcoat cloth that’s not in ablutions (8) 16 Beer mug in set cracked (5) 17 Mourns for old sheriffs (7) 18 Additionally suggest Tory memo (7) 20 Civic dignitary, a lord, with topless Berliner, say (8) 26 Extra portion of lamb? Yes!
Clockwise round the grid from 31 run the titles of four works (6,3,5,7,5.1,5,7,8,5) associated with a 21 and 25A born 16 years ago. The twenty corner letters produce LIVELY ELEMENTAL ARIAS. Solvers must shade the three clued lights that combine to form the 21’s name (two words). Elsewhere, ignore an apostrophe and two accents. Across 8 Mirage, maybe of river, taking one in (5) 9 Ring from small belfry?
Eight unclued lights are of a kind; as is, fancifully, the ninth. Across 6 Hurry up to fill space with one big cup (6) 12 Ape, given exercise to open fish, discarded skin (10, two words) 13 I agree Spain is rarely pleasant (5) 15 Unable to move furniture?
A first prize of £100, three prizes of £25 and six further prizes of the Chambers Book of Great Speeches (hardback) will be awarded for the first correct solutions opened. The first four prizewinners will, in addition, each receive a bottle of champagne. Entries to: Christmas Crossword, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP by 12 January. Part 1: CAROL SINGING The four 13-letter lights in each grid are paired together (always reading from the left-hand grid to the right-hand grid) to yield four quotations from three different Christmas carols and one seasonal song. Each clue is an anagram of its 26-letter solution.
The other unclued entries, in pairs around 3D, provide the key words in a definition of 11D. Across 1 Nouns hidden in secret and manuscript sentences (8) 10 Sea beast who I’ll tape somehow (10, two words) 13 Goat starts to gnaw at one fish (8) 16 ‘Nameless’ ‘noodle’ could be ‘oodle’? (5) 17 Put into Debrett’s, having been no Lord to begin with sadly (7) 18 Where nun is to occupy (7) 20 Neat cube, square down under (8, two words) 25 Brazil won regularly here? (3) 26 I propose nothing for holding referee back (7) 28 Upset how big-headed someone is?
‘1D/19’ (six words in total) is a work by 18/13. Remaining unclued lights form two pairs suggested by 13.
One unclued light is the name of a 15A activity requiring the 4A of three things. Answers to clues in italics must be treated before entry in the grid in such a way as to fulfil this requirement. Definitions of the resulting entries are supplied by the remaining unclued lights, one of which is hyphened.
Each unclued light is somehow related to a clued one. Elsewhere, ignore an acute accent. Across 4 Clone 33 recreating the Crocodile (11, two words) 11 Athlete taking Scottish miser to freemason’s son (9, two words) 13 Danger cut — touching heartless pedestrian (11) 14 Kiss nag (4) 15 Sound of pleasure having rock and heroin (3) 19 Distant mountains with stone (7) 22 Upshot of what is in salt, in France (6) 23 Restrained. Yes!
The ten unclued lights consist of a theme word and three groups of three answers of a kind, each group relating differently to the theme word. Unchecked and cross-checking letters in these answers could make TAX AUDITOR APPROVE.
Unclued lights (two of two words and one doing double duty), singly or paired, reveal some that are to be gone over, and two that famously did so. Ignore one accent and two apostrophes. Across 1 Paradoxical suit, a product of mine (13, two words) 9 Police once crashed into rumpus (7) 14 Arrest in short case (6) 16 Had a row: shouted head off (5) 20 Malarial fever recently back, affecting a layer of the retina (7) 21 Move elsewhere — what, in stir?
Two unclued lights describe the location of the others, individually or as a pair. One of these unclued lights does double duty. One square must contain a beetle showing possible alternatives to one of the unclued lights. Across 11 Tipsy grannie raking it in (7) 12 Skilling worker put sign outside (6, hyphened) 16 Noble cut out mink (5) 19 In bed, off work (7) 21 First half of expedition to Spain is risk-free (4) 23 Continue to rush doctor (7) 24 Land mass is reflected volcanic rock (4) 30 Fan of absolute ruler placing garments in race (7) 32 Prisoner having to give up grant (7) 34 Fish in sloop.
Nine unclued lights each contain a different 20 from the same source. The title suggests a further such 20. Elsewhere, ignore an accent.
Each of 31 clues comprises a definition and a hidden consecutive jumble of the answer including one extra letter; the extras spell five words of a quotation in ODQ. The quotation’s next three words, identifying two groups, form an unclued light. Remaining clues are of the same type, but without extra letters in the jumbles; initial letters of these clues spell the author’s surname, which is an unclued light. Three unclued lights belong to one of the groups, and three unclued lights (one of which consists of two words) belong to the other.
The unclued lights are of a kind, verifiable in Brewer.
The 19 of a great 1A of 6 and for the 1D occurred in 37 25 years ago this month. He was born in 21 and was a friend of 26 and an enemy of 41. Two clued lights together form his name and must be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore an accent.
Each of nine clues contains a superfluous word. Initial letters of these words spell a word which can be read as an indicator of the unclued lights in each of four columns in the grid.
The unclued lights are connected by 33/23. One pair of unclued lights gives one context, in which two further pairs of unclued lights are followers of 33/23; remaining unclued lights, in another sense, are 33/23’s predecessors.
The titles of four of an artist’s works (9,7; 6,6; 6,2,4; 12) read clockwise round the perimeter from a square to be deduced. In eleven clues, cryptic indications omit reference to parts of answers; these parts must be highlighted, to reveal the artist’s name and the title of another work. Letters in corner squares and those adjacent to them are supplied by GIRL IN GROOVE.
The unclued lights (one hyphened, one of two words), individually or as four pairs, are of a kind. Across 4 Small thief accepting a lead album for cuttings (9) 10 Photographer’s kit cases with 40 systems (10) 11 Composer from Harlem, composed (6) 12 Unscrupulous member of the French Academy drops tenor (7) 14 Speeds new shipment NHS omitted (5) 15 Separate old coil (5) 16 A chore cooking vegetable (6) 22 He certainly puts his foot down (8) 23 Most haggard marine removed from unclued pair, maybe (7) 27 No organ here — now that’s a drama, we’re told (7) 29 Not acquired — left in or left out!
