Doc

Around the perimeter starting at square 20 and reading clockwise are five themed solutions, ten words in total. The other unclued lights (four pairs) continue the theme, if 12 Across is pluralised. Ignore two apostrophes.         Across 11    Fiddle with jacket removed after a dip? (5) 13    Get rid of European visitor – that’s not socially acceptable (5) 14    Poor rating given to a dessert (7) 15    Revised a plan he got shaped like this (10) 20    Administers oath of office out of wariness (6,2) 23    Like some previous edition?

The unclued lights (three of two words, one of which has an apostrophe) are of two kinds.

The unclued Across lights (including a pair) are of a kind and the unclued Down lights can be preceded by another (associated) word.   Across 1 To obtain acknowledgement, order direct (6) 13 Love making fuss about ... (5) 15 ... drink in The Wheatsheaf in encampment (5,4) 21 Coolness of pal stoned by wild mob (6) 22 Put up elsewhere, Spooner’s man phoned (2-4) 26 Perform some chorus in Gerontius?

The unclued lights (one of two words) are of a kind.   Across 1 Bringing down plane that was used on D-Day (7,5) 12 Heart tremor? (10) 14 Member in bar, musing (3) 17 Folds in damask curtains partly drawn back (5) 18 Married? Possibly him!

The unclued lights, two of two words, and including four pairs using two of the unclued lights twice, are of a kind.   Across 1 Metal-workers task expanded reportedly to include trophy (4-4) 11 Bill’s new car. Capital! (5) 13 A way to work out the last part of Hedda Gabler, possibly (7) 17 Patrols out with new steel breastplate (8) 21 Dark patches from red-top special getting loads of money (8) 23 Charladies had omitted mixing pastries (7) 25 Crust of bread, for starters. Yes! (3) 26 River several recalled with nothing missing (3) 28 Old boys’ meeting concerning wedding (7) 29 Protection for half a day’s almost hell (8) 34 A fraction of Satanism in another form (8) 35 A river?

The unclued lights (two single words, one a proper noun, four pairs and one trio) share a certain feature.   Across 4 Insightful patient, ever worried (11) 11 Report of joints at hideout in London suburb (7) 12 Instruction to massage deep’s not hard (6) 16 Fears one is concealing crime (5) 19 Escape from hospital, heading off to shelter (7) 23 Alien resident in El Salvador producing ipecac and suchlike (7) 25 Goes easy on the French in tears (7) 30 I came from Rome, my lad, for game (7) 32 Effective contact with cricketer Plunkett (not married) and one child (7) 34 = f....

The cryptic title of this week’s crossword leads to a five-letter representation of the theme. The unclued lights include two pairs; one solution has three words and six others are of two words.

Reading clockwise around the perimeter are six theme words, in random order, one of which starts in square 38. The other two theme words are the unclued lights, one of which can be preceded by one normal solution which solvers should highlight.   Across 11 Limerick perhaps, shortened to make an impression (5) 12 Go to the front outside of Leatherhead (4) 13 Hurried, getting caught by Henry’s farm (5) 14 European gentleman concealed gaol-break (7) 15 With due respect to gun-dog – here’s the leader (4,6) 17 Kid is tense. Relax!

The unclued lights (one of two words) can be resolved into six pairs, in some way related. Ignore one acute accent.   Across 11 Doc’s assistant possibly giving camper aid (9) 12 Peaceful girl, alluring one, topless, at end of promenade (5) 14 Old tub’s revolving cover (4) 15 Gun, for instance, made from macrame. Not odd!

The unclued lights (15 words in total) are to be arranged to provide a definition from Chambers of one of the normal clues which is NOT defined. Across 9 Worst of anything I kept in home (10) 14 Agreement apparently penniless lecturer returns (3) 16 Menus beginning with a cold collation – mostly spicy stuff (6) 17 Faulty parachute doesn’t open (5) 18 Dissident bishop in part of film (5) 20 Less heavy boat used in docks (7) 22 Various grebes, say, at end of lake (7) 25 Arab picked up the vernacular (5) 26 Drink in press release?

The unclued lights and eight clued without thematic definition are of a kind, expressly confirmed in a section of Chambers.   Across 4 Artisan on board, apparently (9) 9 Airline having to secure shopping accessory (10, two words) 11 Alton United seen regularly (5) 12 State loudly and close the innings (7) 14 It’s terrible about half of the lake having dried up (5) 15 Maintain he has left Michael in trouble (5) 16 Washes electronic instruments (6) 21 Waterproofs for artist in river up north (8) 22 Weeks at school in one or more stations (7) 24 Caesar’s for backing mine! (4) 25 Noted German out for fifty, opening (4) 27 Short sight?

The (unrelated) unclued lights (one of three words, four of two words, (one with an apostrophe), one pair and two hyphened), can be arranged in ascending order with one appearing twice.   Across 4 Fire extinguisher reveals bone and shoe (11, two words) 11 Cross-country for Porterfield’s team (7) 13 Ken’s forte amending binders? (9, two words) 14 ‘There’s no commoner letter …’ (Macbeth) (5) 16 Party including one teetotaller once again (5) 23 Exhibitors in the rain? (7) 24 Czech, maybe, in square loo (4) 25 Feel less miserable given standing ovation?

Clues lead to 5-letter solutions. Each set of ten clues is presented in alphabetical order of the solutions. Correct positioning in the grid of each set and the insertion of the appropriate letter in the central square will reveal six 11-letter words not otherwise clued. The 5-letter solutions to the four numbered clues are to be placed where indicated in the grid. Old settler’s fish Copying recording, but missing start Whisper on pop record’s principal song Play with tot – auntie’s first!

The unclued lights are to be resolved into four (unrelated, non-thematic) phrases which share a common format.

In this pangrammatical puzzle, the unclued lights are of a kind near 21A. Ignore all accents.   Across 7 Fresh out of Pinewood (3) 11 Prisoner’s popular winning move (6) 13 Sympathy strike at the docks? (7) 15 All the monks in class (5) 17 Some reach a téléphérique in Alpine ski resort (6) 18 A harp playing for Restoration playwright Behn (5) 21 Old German graduate going round Qawra’s isle (5) 22 Rice dish with bit of thyme dropped in on one’s knee (7) 27 New investment in gold bonds is for older women (7) 29 Little girl encountered in rubber boots (5) 30 Works Scott composed out East (6) 32 Almost imperceptibly moves the lips (5) 34 Novelist on the shelf?

The unclued lights, all nouns or verb forms (one is a hyphened plural), include a common feature different in all twelve cases. Solvers are invited to indicate both possible unclued lights at 29 Down. Elsewhere, ignore two accents.   Across 1 Stab with a knife (5) 4 Order a gin around river (9, two words) 9 Potential difficulties from awkward Moscow and far North (10, three words) 11 Sad poem which its middle letters spell out (5) 12 Move forward and notice vehicle by church (7) 14 Corn produced by monarch reigning from 1714 (5) 15 Honda car going back and forth in town?

The unclued lights (one of two words) can be arranged into two associated groups. Across 1 Company accepts blame having mended harpsichord (7) 5 Pieces of cloth left in islands linked with Turks (7) 9 A jolt makes it open a little (4) 11 Mid-June physical is affected (9) 12 Check mutt beginning to bark (4) 14 Shadows and clouds initially moving from isles in the Clyde (6) 16 Carpet the setter after a fiddle (5) 17 Fabulist seen by river and waters ebbing (5) 20 Hot air rising from the room — with a bit of luck!

The unclued lights (five of two words which include three apostrophes) can be preceded by the same word, all confirmed in Chambers and/or Brewer. Across 11 A record bill, getting a pack animal (6) 12 Earthling beginning to excavate rock formation (7) 14 What contains oxygen and is able to girdle the Earth?

The unclued lights (individually or as two pairs), one of three words and three of two words, can be preceded by the same word. All can be confirmed in Brewer and/or Chambers. Elsewhere, ignore one circumflex. Across 1 Day after RAF and army manoeuvres in a rural setting (8) 11 9 comperes going around being always there (12) 14 Train pass daughter lost (7) 16 Nothing odd, sailboats are plenty (4, two words) 17 Way round Germany and coastal French area (5) 18 Broken maypole without a use (6) 22 Councillor points to model on feature of battlement (8) 23 Island garden transformed area (7) 24 Shows with radio critiques?