Fieldfare

Unclued lights name a man born on 18 May; his position; his son; and (singly or correctly paired, two of two words) some of his predecessors. One unclued light does double duty.   Across 1    Listless and irrational in a sort of pit (6) 10    Played in new group, keeping time with skill (7) 11   

Unclued lights are a set of literary 40s. Their creator is hidden in the grid and should be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore one accent.   Across 1    How ducks eat, billions in valley (6) 7    In college, record time to take degree (6) 11    Garden visitor, immature female, tiny size (10) 13    Cleave small, timid mammal

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT   Unclued lights were names of GHOST STORIES by M.R. (MONTAGUE RHODES) JAMES: CASTING (1A) THE (29) RUNES (10); THE TREASURE OF (9A) ABBOT (58) THOMAS (100); THE TRACTATE (42) MIDDOTH (33); OH WHISTLE (43) AND I’LL (68) COME TO YOU (1D) MY LAD (24); THE STALLS OF (44) BARCHESTER (115) CATHEDRAL (82);

Unclued lights (six of two words, one of three), correctly linked, make ten members of a seasonal set, one light doing multiple duty. Ignore one hyphen and two apostrophes. Nineteen across clues contain a superfluous word; initial letters of these words in clue order form the full name of the creator. The name of the

Unclued lights, singly or correctly paired, are of a kind, as given in Chambers. Ignore one apostrophe.   Across 5    Maiden admitting born overseas originally, not in Danish city (6) 11    Author’s note on leader of band (6) 13    Sort of thinking muscle real troublesome (7) 15    Old royal servant, one that looks to captivate

2 describes a pair of unclued lights (three words altogether), which in turn include the others.   Across 12    Single by pop group: ‘Go for violent crime’ (8) 13    Beast’s sardonic-sounding refusal (5) 14    Wing and tail feathers missing one month (8) 16    Book I inscribed for myself? (4) 20    Will’s to resurrect a year’s

Unclued lights make five pairs with something in common.   Across 1    Fragrant nuts announced (5) 4    Neat workers secure line for pole holding basket (9, hyphened) 9    Unsuitable papal rooms exchanged (10) 11    Incitement to hold round dance (5) 15    Proud to pull tons (5) 21    I waited outside as daughter went for some

Unclued lights form three sets of three, each set related in a different way to a theme-word which is hidden in the grid and should be highlighted.   Across 1    Keeping on certain subject, I am an unusual scientist (13) 9    A court’s brief shade (4) 14    Mount paintings an artist submitted (6) 15    In

Unclued lights are connected to a theme word (which does not appear), three in each of three different senses. Two clued lights form an anagram of a name associated with the theme and should be highlighted.   Across 8    Gulls escape through a hedge (4) 12    Manager almost cut American scientist (10) 13    Remove stain

Clockwise round the grid run six of a kind (one of three words and one three-word pair). Other unclued lights show where you might find others of their kind. Unchecked corner letters could give PLAY-DEN PLANK.   Across 11    With everyone away, call hourly for singers (6) 13    Old bird biting end off confectionery (3)

Procne (37D), Tereus (23D), Scylla (19D) and Arachne (30D) were all given as anagrams, as was Ovid (42D). Daphne (1D) changed to laurel, and Niobe (7A) to stone, as in the Metamorphoses (45A).   First prize Stephen Saunders, Midford, Bath Runners-up R. Wightman, Ilkley, W. Yorks; Rafe Magrath, London SW13

The shared name was PERRY (18), shared by GRAYSON (28) Perry and Perry MASON (2). GP, whose alter ego is CLAIRE (3), is a TURNER (32) Prize winner. PM is a lawyer created by Erle Stanley GARDNER (27); Della STREET (10) is PM’s secretary and Paul DRAKE (37) is his private investigator. PERRY was to

The theme word was China, the Mandarin Chinese word for which is Zhongguo (the pinyin transliteration of 中国). Unclued lights were Chinese cities (34A, 3D, 30D), types of china (16A, 30A, 9D) and words meaning ‘friend’ (2D, 37D, 38D).   First prize Janet Fletcher, Johnstone, Renfrewshire Runners-up Virginia Porter, Gwaelod-y-Garth, Cardiff; Ernie Morrison, Coleraine, Co.

Extra letters in clues form the phrase BITE THE DUST. Thematically created entries at 10, 11, 19, 29 and 34 (in which the types of dust are pother, pollen, stour, bort and ash) are defined by 15, 30, 18, 39 and 9.   First prize Andrew Bell, Shrewsbury, Shropshire Runners-up Brenda Widger, Bowdon, Cheshire;  John