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!
Across unclued lights combine with down ones to form anagrams of the titles (one of two words) of four works by an author whose name (three words) will appear diagonally in the completed grid and must be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore an apostrophe and an accent.
Five clues consist of cryptic indications of partial answers; in each case, the indicated part must be treated thematically to create the full answer to be entered in the grid. Numbers in brackets refer to lengths of entries. Solvers need to 12 38 43 (a five-word phrase, in Chambers) in order to create each of the thematic entries, definitions of which are supplied by the other unclued lights. Elsewhere ignore an accent.
The unclued lights are of a specific kind. Across 11 Top flier backs help for sloth (6) 12 Birds on the barriers (5) 14 Mayfly larva on cobras, dead (5) 15 The head that’s characteristic of the Russian Church (5) 17 Lay claim to 32s somehow (6) 19 Eric needs new place to stay (9) 21 Caught fish, mushy peas and wine? (7) 24 Short Celt, retired keeper, in a 2-2 match?
In June we lost a popular 40. Clockwise round the grid from 3 run the titles of two of his works (2,5,2,4,4,5,9 and 4,3,4,2,8). A third title (three words) appears at 2. The 40’s name will appear in the completed grid together with another linked name: these linked names (nine squares in total) must be shaded. Corner letters could make LOW MISS RALLY.
Seven identical two-by-two squares in the completed grid must be highlighted to depict the unclued entries, each of two words. Across 1 Eyesores left out of designs (5) 11 Beards or bristles I rate as ugly (7) 17 Was host dropping soprano, with tenor being groomed? (7) 18 Rust producer engineer replies to about oxygen (10) 19 State when they are drowned (4) 20 Said tool is a calculator (4) 25 Afternoon in sun melted plastic (5) 26 In debates, he backed monarchy (5) 27 Former US colony in league with peninsula (7) 31 Ace of spades to give information about King (7) 33 Origin of milk from animal enjoying soft conditions?
The unclued lights (one of three words and three of two), as three pairs and three individually, are of a kind. Ignore four accents and one apostrophe, in total.
Six items of one kind, reading clockwise, form the perimeter, whilst four unclued lights are of another kind. All ten are in roughly appropriate positions. Solvers must highlight one clued solution which is an anagram of a word that could be added to the title to show what the grid represents.
Each of twenty-two clues contains a superfluous word. Initial letters of these words spell three specimens of 5; these are represented respectively by 43, 40 and 27 18 in the 13 26D of a person whose surname is an unclued light. Remaining unclued lights combine to form the name by which the 26D is known.
