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The unclued lights, (two of two words), are of a kind. Chambers does not give the solution at 12 Across. So as to avoid alternative thematic solutions at 28A, solvers should know that the first letter is the same as the final one.    Across 2    Amblers won’t be adapting military item (13, three words) 12    Reported as irresponsible piano disposal (6, two words) 14    Cure for one at sea (4) 15    Yearn to get control of free shot in hockey (10, two words) 16    Tenements holding ordinary footlights (6) 18    Sayings of one involved in gaol-break (5) 19    Type setter and mason’s assistant?

This puzzle is a landmark for D(0)C: his first crossword appeared in The Spectator in the issue dated July 4th 1981 and his puzzles have appeared almost every third week since then. The unclued lights (three of two words) and the others when paired correctly represent initially the total which D(0)C reaches with this puzzle.   Across 7    This week’s theme has nothing in it for me! (3) 11    Channel’s only books (6) 13    Fruit and nuts (7) 15    Capital loss had affected savings accounts, originally (5) 16    Players training in small college court (5) 17    Welcome note during auction (6) 18    Wearing a hat, with a glazed look?

The unclued lights (one of two words) can be resolved into three associated trios which are not the solution to the problem. Solvers have to search the completed grid and then highlight the trio which does so.   Across 11    Maigret’s sidekick has read case in French (5) 12    Those in the band that take some beating (5) 15 The military can stand this (6, two words) 16    Is he blotto permanently?

The solutions to twelve clues, all of which lack definition, have to be adapted as the title indicates before the resulting word is entered in the grid. These resulting words are of a kind. Chambers does not give 4D.

One unclued light is the origin of the remaining unclued lights (three of two words), individually or as a pair.

The unclued lights, which include the German eighth, are of a kind. Ignore all accents.   Across 1    Lines fish in strips (8) 6    Dads receiving trophy before drinks (6) 10    Being against work place on outskirts of Arundel (12) 11    Children are a bone of contention (5) 17    Sentence lout over pinching high-class rescue aid (8) 21    Disorder of a pair on a seesaw (8) 23    Middle-Easterner troubled earls in team (7) 25/26    Digital extremity with nothing missing in part of fortification (6) 28    Goodness!

The unclued lights (one of two words and one hyphened) are of a kind, all verifiable in Chambers.

Unclued lights are types of LIMESTONE. First prize Frances Whitehead, Harrogate, North Yorks Runners-up Margaret Almond, Sholing, Hants; P.D.H.

The unclued lights, as a singleton and four pairs with one unclued light doing double duty, are of a kind, verifiable in Brewer. Two of the unclued lights are of three words, one including an abbreviation. All but one of the remaining unclued lights are of two words. Ignore two apostrophes.   Across 10    Help for a newsreader reporting a traffic jam?

The unclued lights are of a kind. Ignore one grave accent.   Across   1    Hails a picador, awfully exciting (13) 11    Difficult child had fun playing close to school (7) 12    Father has undone Turk’s head (5) 14    As You Like It — a piece of theatre by Shakespeare (6, two words) 16    Peg checks printer’s error in ‘Home on the Range’ (5) 17    Singer in the nude. Get her off!

The unclued lights (one of two words, one of three and-another of four components) are of a kind. Chambers gives only a cognate of the solution at 7 Down.