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.
The unclued lights are of a kind and are listed together in Chambers 2011. Solvers should highlight two normally clued solutions which together form another theme-word. Across 1 Ties series of games with instrumentalists (11, two words) 7 Small county’s struggle (3) 11 Clog has lost its tip – repaired clog (6) 16 Young lad from Nantwich, rising (5) 17 Number one difficulty in the Big Apple (6) 18 Old count makes school on time (5) 20 Dazed state from formal protest?
Somewhere next to 34 and 12, 33 is 25, the highest mountain is 1D (two words), and the principal 3 and 39 are alongside each other in 19. Solvers must shade the clued light that is an anagram of the place’s name. Elsewhere, ignore two accents. Across 1 Jittery Jonah hides Sonia and Sam’s stuff (11) 7 Writer of humourless English (3) 11 Plastic covering most of spout in extractor (6) 13 State name applied to murdered sheep-master (retired) (7) 15 Poet takes drug — Charlie?
According to a quotation (in ODQ) by a person whose surname is an unclued light, an area of five letters is 10 13 37 given a certain condition. Each of eleven clues comprises a definition and a hidden consecutive jumble of the answer including one extra letter; each of ten clues is of the same type, but includes two extra letters, next to each other within the jumble. The extras spell the quotation’s last seven words, specifying the condition. Remaining unclued lights prove that this condition exists in the grid; solvers will therefore be able to enter the aforementioned area, which must be highlighted. One unclued light consists of three words; ignore an apostrophe.
Solvers must create the barred grid for themselves; the resulting grid is symmetrical whichever side is uppermost. When submitting an entry, solvers need not indicate the clue numbers, but must clearly indicate the pattern of eight bars at the centre of the grid which is an example of the theme. This pattern is named as one of the unclued lights which are of a kind and all are shown in Brewer. Ignore three acute accents. Across 4 Dictator takes Artemis out East – he fears Gaul (11) 11 What about painting wrongly?
Six unclued lights (one hyphened) suggest words each differently formed from the same 13 22, which appears as a clued light and must be shaded.# Across 1 Common choir dressed in black and white (11) 11 Thing every elder has about yellow waistcoat (6) 15 Message in letter about this month in Paris?
In each of eleven clues the definition part contains a superfluous letter. These letters, in clue order, spell a three-word phrase. Clues in italics consist of cryptic indications of partial answers; in each case, the indicated part must do as stated by the phrase to create the full answer to be entered in the grid. Definitions of resulting entries are supplied by the remaining unclued lights. Elsewhere, ignore an accent.
The unclued lights (one doubly hyphened) share a medical similarity. (Despite appearances there are no rude words in the puzzle!) Across 3 Revolutionary clock setting? (12, two words) 11 Vessels from fleet in the States (4) 12 When a name is misrepresented? (7) 16 Caught bird, reportedly, on rock (5) 18 Oarsman’s swimming style (6) 20 33’s code-words (5) 22 Some disc analysis?
Six unclued lights are 18 Down from the same source (five are entitled to appear; the sixth appears regularly). Six cells initially contain between two and six clashing letters; these must be resolved to display thematic 18. Elsewhere, ignore three accents and two apostrophes. Across 10 A Republican politician maintains British dealt badly with defence material (12, hyphened) 12 Marsh tree (5) 13 In speech, lifts poet’s handles (7) 15 Awkwardly got up on camel bred to travel (9) 16 Crack plus heroin – a drug (6) 17 Protecting money, American wealthy mostly lacking heart?
Nine unclued lights are linked in three different ways (three lights to each) to a tenth, which solvers should highlight. All may be verified in Chambers. Across 5 Wet month unproductive (6) 10 In the open, fish got cleverly hidden (10, three words) 12 Atom bombs are nuclear without exception (6, three words) 17 Trifled foolishly? (7) 18 Request provided for a time obliquely in Scotland (7) 20 In part of swine’s face, note a drop of white (8) 25 Look round Spain for a house (3) 26 Prelates leaving a cathedral en masse?
The unclued lights (33 with I) are of a kind, all verifiable in Chambers under the appropriate headword. Across 1 Chief director takes one look at the league (13, two words) 8 Very best note on new piano (7) 10 1 and 10 down. Confused? I’m off!
Round the perimeter clockwise from 1 run six lights of a kind (7,9,10,9,9,8): if the grid were a 13/12, they might collectively suggest the title of a song famously 22 19 years ago. Corner letters are held in STRONG REGARD. A relevant name (5) will appear in the completed grid and must be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore an apostrophe. Across 9 More tea or coffee? (5) 10 Soccer tactic went awry in no-score draw (6, hyphened) 11 A Spring Sunday: time ducks returned (7) 15 Gosh! It’s somebody on 70 curatives (10) 16 Aunt Sally?
Seven items of a kind read clockwise round the perimeter. In ten clues, cryptic indications omit reference to parts of answers; these parts must be highlighted, to reveal a definition of the perimeter items. Letters in corner squares and those adjacent to them could form WADERS, NOT OLD.
The unclued lights (two must be paired) are of a kind, verifiable in Brewer.
