Lavatch

2683: Famous last words

From our UK edition

Around the perimeter clockwise from square 1 goes a quotation in ODQ minus its last word. This last word suggests the remaining unclued lights, a final example of which (6) must be highlighted in the completed grid.

2671: Canned madras – solution

From our UK edition

Nine unclued lights have been seen on STAGE (35): THE RIVALS (4A), ELECTRA (27), THE BIRDS (29), ALL MY SONS (39), LYSISTRATA (1D), BECKET (3), NO MAN’S LAND (19), ORESTES (26) and ST JOAN (30) (‘Saint Joan’ in short form). RHINO (33) (‘Rhinoceros’ in short form) is to be shaded.

2674: New crop

From our UK edition

7D (two words), performed by 40A (two words), suggests the other unclued lights, which are all similarly amended forms of words of a kind. A final ‘7D’, itself a thematically appropriate word, must be highlighted in the final grid. Across 1               Actor, you said, departed with a hook (8) 8               Young bird from e.g.

2665: Killer instinct

From our UK edition

34/28/19 (five words) is a quotation verifiable in the ODQ from 23 (two words) which suggests how to complete the perimeter (six words).

2656: A la carte

From our UK edition

Unclued lights, including one of two words (all in Chambers) display nine items of a kind in the grid, appropriately positioned in relation to each other. All nine must be highlighted. Across  1    Bear dire deed to resolve neurosis (7)  7    Indian city cleric lacking force (7) 13    Running into water ebbing for ages (5) 14    Flaw of terrible mishearing (7) 15    Expert to restrain lawyer’s friend (8) 16    Record one bovid with adult parasites?

2593: Capital Development

From our UK edition

Six unclued lights (one of two words) are of a kind. The remaining three must be filled to display what connects the original six (13, two words). Across 12    Old Rodin bust covered? (6)13    Goal to mingle with rich ruler (8)14    Horns from my province (5)16    Reply from setter breaking lance (6)19    E.g. Macron’s cheek, it’s said (4)20    Complain over fabulist (4)22    I’m going to exercise round one tree (6)23    Knight with airs saves energy in verses (9)29    Isles always in Comoros’s borders (4)30    Nymph’s hot in green (4)32    Head bishop ignored? Not again!

2638: Capital fellow

From our UK edition

Unclued lights (including one pair giving a name, and one of three words from a quotation) form three groups; the word that links them all must be highlighted in the grid.

2629: Urban renewal

From our UK edition

Unclued lights, including one of two words, are anagrams of words of a kind. Solvers must highlight two pairs of clued answers which are anagrams of two further examples.         Across    1    Recited end of epic with ghosts (8)    8    Special forces protecting large trees (4) 11    Oddly, Ivor ain’t a Welshman (4) 12    A run through e.g.

2620: The right name?

From our UK edition

Paired unclued lights are an author and his eponymous characters. Crossing letters in 7D suggest the name in the title; solvers must correct this, entering the character’s real name by changing the contents of four cells, always making real words.         Across    1    A mob alas with disorder of gut (8) 11    I head into transport, and fit into attire (8,4) 14    Silly berk and his containers (7) 15    Table of bard essentially?

2614: Monkey business

From our UK edition

Unclued lights (one of three words and one of two words, singly or paired) form three groups. Group 1 is three words of a kind; group 2 is two names and a title; group 3 is a name and part of a title. The word that links them must be highlighted in the grid.

2611: On-board entertainment

From our UK edition

Unclued lights are all of a kind. The most recent addition to the group must be highlighted in the completed grid. Across 8    Black swan leads gull (4) 11    Jack holds irrational animal (5) 13    Politician hosts old leader – he has a shock (7) 14    Little US weakling (5) 17    Extremely agile, running for an age (4) 18    E.g. cotton, some normal variety (5) 19    Breaking of rules? It’s us!

Solution to 2599: Slow to Change

From our UK edition

The proverb reads ‘A lie will go round the world while truth is pulling its boots on’ (19/7/29/1D/8/10) by C.H. Spurgeon. The unclued lights at 13, 38 and 39 are BOOTS.

2602: Rolling Stones

From our UK edition

Three unclued lights are a musician (two words) and a quotation of his (four words), which suggests the other six unclued lights, all anagrams of words of a kind (one of two words).  Across 8 Delaying intro, ace ruler (4) 11 Posh earl pokes you abroad in part of eye (6) 12 Bill eating corn in earnest (5) 17 I’m leaving rupees for Turkic speaker (5) 18 Cat heard in forest (5) 19 Sally’s Samoyed’s caught rabies (5) 21 Mist by lake in wood (5) 22 A hobo, on line, snaps here (5) 24 Energy field in Greek colony (4) 26 Tour of e.g.

Birthday Boy

From our UK edition

Two unclued lights are a title (three words) and its creator (two words). Remaining unclued lights are four names and eight titles (either singly or paired, including two each of two, three and four words and one of five words), each name being associated with two of the titles. The theme word connecting them all must be highlighted in the grid.         Across 11    Skill securing character hard food (5) 16    Bishop leaves drunkenly with flowing movement (6) 17    Gently affected superiority in card game (5) 19    Husband loves wrong clothes?

2581: In the balance

From our UK edition

The unclued lights are three sets of three words of a kind, all linked by a theme word represented by one clued answer which must be highlighted.         Across    1    Where pupils are receiving gentle hugs (8)    8    Finished structure erected in triumph (4) 11    Goal to renovate new hotel figures in Levantine region (5,7) 12    Fulminating, bottling tree secretion (5) 16    Reversing truck, beginning to indicate in case (4) 18    Repeat welcoming son is flipping tender?

2572: Blown up

From our UK edition

Around the perimeter, beginning at square 1, is a line of poetry (seven words, in ODQ) followed by the title of the poem (six words; one abbreviated word in the original title must be written out in full). Remaining unclued lights are of a kind, suggested by the quotation.

2554: Going, going…

From our UK edition

The unclued lights, including one of two words, are of a kind, all confirmed in Chambers. A further example (4) must be deleted from the final grid, leaving blank squares. New words thus created are real words.   Across 1 Get dry people keeping dry home (6) 11 Getting makeover helps, i.e.