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The unclued lights formed from the anagrams of the Lover’s Knot clues are boys’ and girls’ names, entered at consecutive solutions, as follows: 1D/2; 15/18; 21A/23; 27/30; 29/31. First prize Vivienne Pyatt, Arkesden, Essex Runners-up S.L.
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Four pairs of unclued lights (5,5) represent their solutions and together equal the remaining trio of unclued lights. Across 5 Student of mental disorders or ufos? (8) 10 Relative from BR or ER, apparently (11, hyphened) 11 Doctor’s verdict, a dosing is in order (9) 12 Deal with work in church (4) 17 Composer heard on roll (4) 19 Short set of maps isn’t representing this place (8) 20 Some sea-green bore (5) 26 Rig the ship mystically for churchman (10, two words) 29 Ultra? Quite wrong – one keeping residence apart (10) 34 Lively black cuckoo won game (8) 36 Its seeds produce 39. Cut! Cut! (4) 38 Male gypsies coasting around without care at first (7) 41 Leading industrialist backing Sir Murdoch?
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The unclued lights are presented in the form of the Lover’s Knots below. Each ‘Knot’ can be unravelled into two words which are connected only for the purposes of this puzzle. These are then to be entered in the grid, always as pairs of consecutive lights. LOVER’S KNOT CLUES a) A thin bride b) Bach ate tenderloins c) Clara’s feminine d) Islander’s mural e) Norse warfare Across 1 Fractures both bits – a betrayal (13, three words) 9 Redhead notices extremists (4) 11 0 and O (for instance) sent between the unclued lights?
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The unclued lights are six US composers, at 4 and 24, and the pairs at 9/11, 21A/32, 25/16 and 35/3.
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The unclued LIGHTS are LEADERS, verifiable under the entry for RULERS in Brewer. First prize Sandra Speak, Dursley, Glos Runners-up P. and R.
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The unclued lights (two of two words and the remainder when paired) are of a specific kind. Across 1 Kind, like 7A (11, hyphened) 7 Well-spaced to start with (3) 13 Mate with old cattle causing fuss (7) 15 Singer losing nothing in outskirts of Mellieha – here! (5) 17 Money expended swapping model railway components (6) 18 This setter considers cross (5) 20 Changing stance, performs (6) 22 Campoli's sauce (7) 27 Cut fruit and drink (not hot) for bird (7) 29 Divers trousers for eccentrics (5) 30 Old quote for bit of gravel in garden path (6) 34 Ungenerous chap takes pound from girl (6) 36 Organised church spread (5) 37 One of 29 hogging good computer access (5, hyphened) 38 Separate independent thus, dead (7) 39 Money at bridge (6) 40 Short direction to land.
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The unclued lights (all verified in Brewer 18th and 19th editions) are of a kind. Elsewhere, ignore three accents. Across 1 Overcome old film broadcast (8) 6 Tawdry item – small company holds a pile (6) 12 Ivy, out east, is after fish which have four faces (10) 13 Farewells losing one of two (5, two words) 15 Kite for flying over archaeological work housing a bit of loot in wood (10) 16 Years in France by border of city (7) 20 Leaving old flame with sex appeal (4) 22 Make a coat? No ideas circulating (7) 23 Official diploma that’s guaranteed (4) 24 A loveless pair with helpers – dozens!
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The unclued Down lights are PLAIN Janes and the unclued Across lights are SIMPLE Simons.
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The unclued lights (including the pair at 3/34) are all buried in Père Lachaise (when translated may give ‘PA THE SEAT’) cemetery in Paris. First prize Heather Kingham, Barnay, France Runners-up Roderick Rhodes, Goldsborough, N.
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The unclued Down lights are of a kind, as are the unclued Across ones. Across 1 Accent reflecting everything at the start of this month (7) 6 Harp, maybe — as a liqueur (7) 11 Iranian city providing a graduate with honorary title (6) 12 In building, this edge puts out joiner (7) 14 Manual, if lost — claim!
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9 is now the home of the remaining unclued lights, individually or as a pair. Ignore all accents both in the grid and the clues. Brewer confirms the theme. Across 1 Control diarist meant to arrange (12) 10 Manager’s department.
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The unclued lights are railway stations in London (1, 20 and 37), Birmingham (2/36 and 11), Bristol (6A/7), Manchester (16/38 and 19) and Edinburgh (30). First prize Jenny Atkinson, Chorleywood, Herts Runners-up I.F.
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The unclued lights are the eight principal compilers who have set puzzles for this series from puzzle 1 to 2082 (hence the title). First prize Cathy Staveley, London SW15 Runners-up P.M.
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The unclued lights, (one of two words), individually or as three pairs, are of a kind. Collins Dictionary confirms the spelling at 29A. Across 2 Poet seriously starting to think in French (7) 10 see 42A (3) 12 Wood work in exam (5) 14 Medley from little boy and little girl (7) 15 Tenor changing uniform with Oscar (6) 17 Exhaust with massage (4, two words) 18 US mine-owner is a shark (8) 22 It’s hit around to enjoy oneself on course (8, two words) 23 Reserve university sportsman is very pale (7, hyphened) 25 What’s left of the bortsch?
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The unclued lights (one of two words, one of which is an abbreviation) are of kind and between them go back to number 1. Elsewhere, ignore an accent.
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Each unclued light has no MAC on, but 30D (Macramé) does. First prize Stephen Gore, Seer Green, Bucks Runners-up John Cruickshank, Aberdeen; R.J.
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First prize Cheryl Bacon, Hitchin, Herts Runners-up Dr Simon Shaw, Goosnargh, Lancashire; Michael Smith, Aldershot, Hampshire.
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One clued light is suitably dressed having taken notice of the title. By extension, all the unclued lights would be, if they took the same precaution (and would then be confirmed in Chambers). Ignore two accents. Across 7 US battle giving quiet backing to spring festival (6) 12 Dava Sobel’s novel is no short piece, we’re told (9) 15 Origin can be suspect?
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The crossword is of the usual barred pattern and is symmetrical whichever side is uppermost. The Across clues are presented in order and precede the Down clues. Three solutions are hyphened, and one is of three words. Solvers are required to insert the bars; clue-numbers are not required. — Former Foreign office abroad revealed in smallest Welsh shire — Garland unknown county — Small shovel for Scottish climb — A spike ...
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The unclued lights (including the pair at 36/9) are islands on the ORKNEYS (an anagram of ‘Yonkers’). Solvers had to highlight the three letters HOY of the solution at 39D (Ahoy), which is ‘a call’, hence the wording in the preamble. First prize M.