2302: Urbane turban
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.
Doc
Thursday
to 2299: Pieces of Eight
The unclued lights, including 28/3 in its English translation, are compositions by Carl Nielsen, (i.e. pieces of 8 Down). First prize K.J.
Thursday
2299: Pieces of Eight
One unclued light is the origin of the remaining unclued lights (three of two words), individually or as a pair.
to 2296: Men of note
The unclued lights are seven COMPOSERS whose surnames begin with A to G, along with the eighth beginning with H, which is B natural in German notation.
Thursday
2296: Men of note
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!
to 2293: Topping
The unclued lights are items of headgear. First prize Tony Watson, Twyford, Berkshire Runners-up Philip Berridge, Spalding, Lincolnshire; R.C.
Thursday
2293: Topping
The unclued lights (one of two words and one hyphened) are of a kind, all verifiable in Chambers.
to 2290: Timely II
Perimetric trios combine to suggest HOG/MAN/AY: SHILLING, MALE, INDEED; SWINE, ATTENDANT, YES; MOUND, EMPLOYEE, EVER. The relevant activity is FIRST-FOOTING (35/25/16) and the relevant name is SYLVESTER (11). First prize Helen Hinder, Knaphill, Surrey Runners-up Mrs J.
Thursday
to 2287: Quarry
Unclued lights are types of LIMESTONE. First prize Frances Whitehead, Harrogate, North Yorks Runners-up Margaret Almond, Sholing, Hants; P.D.H.
Thursday
2289: I don’t believe it!
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?
to 2286: B
The unclued lights are provinces or areas of BELGIUM. First prize C.R. Haigh, Hassocks, West Sussex Runners-up Frank McDonald, Carron, Falkirk; I.
Thursday
2286: B
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!
to 2283: be damned
The unclued lights are PUBLISHING FIRMS. Our apologies for the omission of clue 42 Across. It went missing during the production stage. It should have read: 42 Enticing action Latino attains oddly (13) First prize Jenny Gubb, Uffculme, Devon Runners-up Philip Berridge, Spalding, Lincolnshire; Mrs E.
Thursday
2283: Be damned
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.
to 2280: Acorns
The unclued lights are famous British OAK trees. First prize Gerry Fairweather, Layer Marney, Essex Runners-up Mrs L. Ashley, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex; Jan Thompson, Bolton, Lancs.
Thursday
2280: Acorns
The unclued lights are of a kind, verifiable in Brewer. Ignore one apostrophe. Across 1 Top for one dining in Cornwall? (7) 11 Rainy weather trapped everyone, in case (6) 12 Chosen the same, leaderless (7) 14 Old sweetheart at short race track (5) 16 Hang around. Look — it’s the Queen!
to 2277: Royalty
The theme word is KING and the pairs are 4/41, 14/1A, 19/27, 34/16 and 38/24. First prize C.V. Clark, London WC1 Runners-up C.S.G.
Thursday
2277: Royalty
Having solved the puzzle, solvers are required to highlight a 2x2 square which contains the four letters of the otherwise unclued theme word. This theme word can be paired with five of the unclued lights. The resulting pairs are then defined by the remaining five unclued lights (two of two words), all of which can be verified in Brewer. Across 9 Islands forming ring — possibly a nice area (7) 11 Tail of forsaken kangaroo was not once in cell (7) 12 Dictator arrests leader of army violently (5) 17 Mac’s own muslin.
to 2274: round and round
The unclued lights are stations of the London Underground CIRCLE Line. BAYSWATER is the paired theme-word. Solvers had to highlight TOWER HILL in yellow, as per the Line’s colour on a London Tube Map.
Thursday
2274: Round and round
The perimeter squares yield six theme-words in order, though any one of them can come first. The remaining unclued lights (two individually and a pair) reveal three more theme words. Solvers are asked to highlight in the appropriate colour a final two-word theme-word hidden in two rows in the completed grid.
