Two of the unclued entries combine to form a name (three words) responsible for the other unclued entries (one of three words, two of two words, and two of which combine to form a two-word name). Across 11 Custom I outlaw, hiding books for islander (7) 12 They must cool down the crowd (4) 14 Cast spell over snake in Paradise Lost?
The 12 six-letter unclued lights bear a common feature, different in each case, but ignore one hyphen. Across 1 Put up a hammock for son with Heather (5) 4 One lies drunk after attempt to restore equilibrium (9) 9 After seven days, say, shall journalist be wimpish? (4-6) 11 Muse was, for Caesar, love (5) 12 Cunard cruise finally turned to French river (7) 14 Vocalist shortly to be a scorcher (5) 15 Just a bit of a fight!
The unclued lights are the given names of pop stars. The pairs are 7D/20, 12/11, 25/24, 26/1D and 33/8. First prize Karen Bloom, Allington, Maidstone, Kent Runners-up Bernard Golding, Earsdon, Whitley Bay; D.P.
22 said ‘29 11’ (five words, ignore an apostrophe), suggesting the placing of theother unclued lights.
Unclued lights (including one pair giving a name, and one of three words from a quotation) form three groups; the word that links them all must be highlighted in the grid.
The unclued lights (one of two words, and the remainder when paired correctly) are of a kind, verifiable in Brewer. Ignore two apostrophes. Across 7 Scottish seagull’s gullet (3) 13 Pull back leading troops president recalled (7) 15 Chocolate powder run over in taxi (5) 16 Overwhelmed, Laura was hampered a bit (5) 17 Reporters on Daily Record ignoring first workers’ home (6) 18 Biden, injured, is laid up (2,3) 21 Australia’s Finch from bazaar, going regularly (5) 22 What those in agreement are of the same view (3,4) 27 Coarse fellow admits nothing’s right. Beware!
Twelve unclued lights may be grouped into three quartets and their unchecked letters spell out ask engineering-academy.gov.uk; each quartet comprises two natural pairs. All unclued entries are normal words, one is in Merriam--Webster and one is thematically linked to its quartet via a Broadway musical.
The unclued entries (three of two words, two of three words, one of one word) each complete a phrase starting with the same first word. Across 11 Move left to right in washing plants (9) 12 Bird of prey? (5) 14 Mischief-maker’s restrained in hearing (4) 15 Worry Camilla on a regular basis (3) 18 Bone breaking seal’s coat of antimony (7) 19 Lady chess champion bitten by snakes (7) 22 Edrich perhaps pens a note for Strauss?
Unclued lights have something in common, nine of two words, five pairs, and one singleton.
The eight six-letter unclued lights half-overlap each other and so yield a complete word chain beginning with any one of them. Across 1 Complex U-turn before end of lane. Wrong!
The unclued entries (two of one word, two of two words, two of three words) combine to form a quotation. Elsewhere, ignore two accents. Across 1 Promotions to fix in commercial vehicles (12) 10 Eager pupil’s plea for online phenomenon (4) 12 Cockney dish rose, having turned end (3,1,4,2) 14 Remark further problem with concentration (3) 15 Angler uses this weight in river, they say (8) 17 Gold cloth piece is not silver – this might be either (5) 18 Win back billion, not having a scale again (7) 19 Understanding one?
Unclued lights (including one hyphened) are of a kind. The theme word must be highlighted in the grid.
The unclued lights are of a kind, verifiable in Brewer with the help of the red squares which must be read in order row by row. Ignore one apostrophe and an acute accent, elsewhere. Across 9 Terrible President out on a limb at heart, troubled (10) 14 Courier company raises its charges (3) 16 Make one see red – possibly green and a touch of amber! (6) 17 Author moving gently, dropping article (5) 20 Mathematician coming across wife in Milton Keynes, say (3,4) 22 Travels by plane and a Roman road to Timeless Test (7) 24 Highbrow title is affected (7) 25 Sounding like Matilda’s creator’s Indian dishes (5) 26 Youngster central to 19, sadly (5) 28 See what people say?
The 37 and 38 evoke 16D 22A/26, once 19 26, the 19 being 6 at the 41 5, 41 26 and 41 13. Across 1 Language school opened by Republican state (8) 11 Repeatedly check bones in historical operation (10) 14 Sweet red Dutch headwear (8) 16 US city king boxes to unwind (5) 17 Blotto man does spirits (7) 18 Animal in vehicle, one about to get skinned (7) 23 Hangs from small steep rocks (6) 24 American English crudely translated☺?
Unclued lights, including one of two words, are anagrams of words of a kind. Solvers must highlight two pairs of clued answers which are anagrams of two further examples. Across 1 Recited end of epic with ghosts (8) 8 Special forces protecting large trees (4) 11 Oddly, Ivor ain’t a Welshman (4) 12 A run through e.g.
The unclued lights (one hyphened and plural, and another in the past tense) are of a kind, all verifiable as such in Chambers, most of them on a specific page.
Eight unclued lights are of a kind. Their unchecked and mutually checked letters can be rearranged to spell TOY OF A PARISH DEACON.
Unclued lights name an authoress (two lights), her hero (two lights), his group (one light, two words), and its members (mostly human). Across 4 Stimulant gets lad near to collapse at home (9) 10 FBI agents after government department: time to clean up files (10) 14 In mill channel pressure rose suddenly (5) 15 Labourer present: success! (5) 16 Makes up clothes I put on (6) 23 Heinous mistakes, not using outside help (2-5) 24 Close down early, but not entirely (4) 25 Idea spread by first person more than once (4) 29 Lambs he’s butchered here?
The unclued lights (one of two words) and four others clued without their thematic definition are of a kind. Across 1 Two little boys tapped their heads (6)7 Birettas seldom reveal this tuft (6)13 US challenge to foil and dismiss at the wicket (5)14 Material from The Spectator, London (5)17 Salary and gratuity, collected by mail (7)18 Incandescent, he’d be forced to put rubbish out (3,3)19 Infection covered by the oculist? Yes! (4)22 C19th biologist’s not left film director (6)25 Violinist’s bow? No, the other end! (5)26 Followed the progress, we hear, of Lenten psalm (5)33 Study Latin on express (4)36 Live broadcast with the French (6)40 Friendly greeting unwanted amongst Heinz’s offering?
Each Across unclued light is associated in the same way with a Down one (one of two words). Across 1 In small conurbations, transport deficiencies (10) 7 Walk from Piraeus to Athens (4) 15 Huge resistance from masculine self-importance? I wonder (6) 18 PM’s residence about to receive first of rock stars (5) 19 Correct uncle, and head’s bitten off (5) 25 Cheers afternoon, taking in TV hospital show (7) 26 Excellent on Polish and Persian verse (5) 27 A line gets out of position rapidly (5) 29 Dull, like a little lake?
