Mr Magoo

2660: Walsall winters

From our UK edition

The unclued lights, which include one of four words, one of three words, two of two words, comprise a quotation in ODQ. Elsewhere, ignore one apostrophe.        Across    1  A wicket for Jasper’s cousin (5)    6  Small capitals backed capital of dross (7) 16  Safe to give criticism, but not about daughter (7) 17  Fairly angry tirade dismisses queen more than once (7) 18  Greek character held by three others (3) 21  Sad old monk has appendix removed (5) 24  Boat Race crew, say, go around this?

2650: Detention for history

From our UK edition

One of the unclued entries is responsible for a quotation that makes up the others (two of three words, one of two words). Across 1    Precious metals Cook nearly left (1,6) 6    Netball players in mid-court for three quarters? (7) 12    Another one bites the dust, recipe being trapped wind (7) 14    Biting an animal’s brought about this? (5) 15    Married in mostly passionless times (5) 16    Caught this lassie forming a dance party? (6) 17    Top cops needing person to stop suspect (6) 19    Identifiers for Ben and James (minor characters) (9) 21    New ____ could be synthesised by men or women?

2641: Mastermind

From our UK edition

Two of the unclued entries combine to form a name (three words) responsible for the other unclued entries (one of three words, two of two words, and two of which combine to form a two-word name). Across 11    Custom I outlaw, hiding books for islander (7) 12    They must cool down the crowd (4) 14    Cast spell over snake in Paradise Lost?

2635: Brilliant

From our UK edition

The unclued entries (three of two words, two of three words, one of one word) each complete a phrase starting with the same first word. Across 11    Move left to right in washing plants (9) 12    Bird of prey? (5) 14    Mischief-maker’s restrained in hearing (4) 15    Worry Camilla on a regular basis (3) 18    Bone breaking seal’s coat of antimony (7) 19    Lady chess champion bitten by snakes (7) 22    Edrich perhaps pens a note for Strauss?

2633: Highly critical

From our UK edition

The unclued entries (two of one word, two of two words, two of three words) combine to form a quotation. Elsewhere, ignore two accents.         Across    1    Promotions to fix in commercial vehicles (12) 10    Eager pupil’s plea for online phenomenon (4) 12    Cockney dish rose, having turned end (3,1,4,2) 14    Remark further problem with concentration (3) 15    Angler uses this weight in river, they say (8) 17    Gold cloth piece is not silver – this might be either (5) 18    Win back billion, not having a scale again (7) 19    Understanding one?

2621: Faux

From our UK edition

You can calculate 48 by 1 + 47 (ten words in total). However, 21 32 12 23 47 (nine words in total). The remaining unclued lights are the two authors who said so.         Across 14    Not so sure judge needs latitude to be good (6) 17    Sacred halls rebuilt in poor area (7) 18    9 stocks such organs (4) 19    Woman wanting hospital to make changes (4) 20    Sign of aging, like an Irish circus, say?

2609: Hard work

From our UK edition

One unclued light (2 words) labels the others (two of 3 words and one of 5 words, each spread across two entries).         Across 10    If I could cut down showing contempt for Shakespeare … (4) 14    Dispute what stroke does? (3) 15    We should explain coda? (8) 17    They don’t fly about when filled with hydrogen (5) 18    Revolution where TV show’s researchers work?

2600: Pulling power

From our UK edition

The unclued entries share a definition. Elsewhere, ignore an accent. Across 1    Chap primarily revered among classic characters (5)12    Barrow dropping us with United in gallery to cause a commotion (10)13    Put a stop to women leaving a vessel I cast off (9)14    Fine for Cantona?

2599: Slow to change

From our UK edition

Six unclued entries (4, 1, 2, 2, 2 and 3 words) give a proverb (verifiable in ODQ), and the remaining unclued entries (one of two words) give examples of a noun therein. Across 1    Spelt ‘sorry’ with an E in (5)4    Triangular prism arranged by bouncers I rejected (5,4)11    I party, and not outside – not outside (6)12    Ghana keeps a big person bound (7)14    King advanced prince for local governing body (5)15    Trendy dog to suffer (5)16    Shutter obscuring viewfinder? (6)22    Idiot’s survey of masses of Earth?

2588: Necessary evils

From our UK edition

All the unclued lights can be followed by the same word. Elsewhere, ignore three accents. Across 12    Positive Belgian forward cutting in has chances (10)13    Nabs informer admitting pressure (6)18    Memorial to fish-keeper ignores a question about Frank? (9)19    Flap about a kid whose name maybe on TV? (9)20    This monster turns 22, nearly (4)21    Blade that’s regularly perplexed (4)27    In home, navy lamps may be so called (6)30    Boring experience providing inspiration for smoker (4)32    Ready reckoning when many are watching (5,4)34    Ordinary one I help to get drunk?

2579: Destructive plot

From our UK edition

One unclued entry (three words) gives the theme, and five others give two-word names directly connected with it. Remaining unclued entries give two examples of the theme phrase, one of two words and one of three. Across 1 US underdogs willingly bring moggies under control?

2570: Short story

From our UK edition

The unclued entries comprise two authors and a work of fiction, attributed by one author to the other. Each author occupies two unclued entries. Four of the unclued entries are two words each.

2556: Recent origins

From our UK edition

The unclued entries have something in common, and are the most recent of their type. One umlaut should be ignored in these entries, and elsewhere an accent.   Across 1 Perhaps not swinging is sordid (5) 4 I might get candy floss. Like some chocolate? (9, two words) 10 State with importance line interrupts fluency (10, two words) 11 Local watery path to utilise crossing island (6) 12 Recycled material for further education that’s fabulous (7) 14 Art cleaning the same estate (5) 15 Some anxiety managing roots (5) 16 Rowboat in trouble without this at first?

2537: My Lord!

From our UK edition

A 21-word exchange appears (apart from two words) in nine unclued entries. The other unclued entry specifies one of the participants. In ten clues the wordplay ignores one letter. These letters, in grid order, spell out the source of the exchange and of the original inspiration. Ignore three apostrophes in the completed puzzle.

2528: Not to Lose

From our UK edition

Unclued entries are words (one hyphened) or phrases (three of four words each, one of three words, two each of two words), sharing a common direction. Elsewhere, ignore one accent.   Across 1 One rep loses a Hebridean (8) 6 Tribute in silver blocks (6) 11 Mediterranean islander getting mercy from another (5) 13 Fairly distribute charge amateur cannot make? (7) 14 Aggressive woman’s cross when a man goes outside (6) 16 Bring up … this? (4) 17 E. coli sat tight – such drugs required? (8) 21 A child getting into musical instrument nearly caught by dance (8) 23 Oceanic winds blow (7) 25 Eight perhaps could be made by this, potting black?

Solution to 2513: Golden anniversary

From our UK edition

The announcement reads: ‘Fifty years ago, on July the third, Jac’s first crossword in this series was published.’ The shaded squares (from top to bottom) can be arranged to reveal SMURF, SARAH (Hayes, aka La Jerezana) MR MAGOO, MASS, COLUMBA, DOC, PABULUM, MARK (Kelmanson, aka CheeseCracker), ASCOT, RICHARD (Browne, aka Fieldfare) and JAMES (Brydon, aka Lavatch).

2516: Such childish vocabulary

From our UK edition

The nouns from the first sentence of a book (in the ODQ) appear as unclued lights — apart from two. One of these two is revealed by extracting one or two letters at a time from six normal solutions, leaving real words as entries. The other appears diagonally in the grid and must be highlighted. Two of these unclued lights also appear in the title of the book. Elsewhere, ignore an accent. Across 1 Lark serving man truffles? (5) 4 Lothario excited almost all maidens (9, two words) 11 Suits altered with European woven fabric (6) 12 Sleep for moment in time, like Shakespeare’s night? (7) 14 Genus of flowers: Paul messed with it (6) 15 Case, ultimately small and sweet?

2501: Delightful

From our UK edition

7 Down has wordplay to only half its grid entry. The undefined part is the first word of a 9-word description, in ODQ. Ignore all hyphens. The unclued lights can be arranged to form the full description.   Across 1 Good over – nearly more than one, in truth (6) 7 Strain to keep daughter in plaits once (6) 11 Studied alternative for second endorsement (10) 13 Dickens was upset (5) 14 Delicate but not frequently moving supply (5) 15 Ultimately explosive danger, if it goes off?

2477: Rendezvous

From our UK edition

The unclued entries, all across, are unconnected words from Chambers. Each requires a letter added to render them thematic, and these letters, in order, give a hypothetical venue where they could all then meet. Across 8 Give a hand to a grand opera (4)11 Where Raleigh studied El Greco, and Ollie messed about (12, two words)16 Measure things expired audibly (4)17 Journey eternally? (5)18 Stupor in European Parliament – it shows social distancing? (6)22 Bird hiding head needs rear visor (8)24 Fools following rejected fish fingers? (6)25 Editor fixed electrical component (6)29 In a row, sent back nothing before breakfast? (8)33 Beetle who’s cheering?

2459: 22 Down

From our UK edition

Six unclued entries (three of three words, and one of two words) can be combined to make a quotation (in ODQ), and the remainder combine to reveal its author. Across 11 Fashionable mission deemed impossible ultimately (7)13 Far-reaching lake beside farmhouse (9, hyphened)14 Unhealthy-looking meat snack (5)21 Keen to get drunk in bender (4)23 Sailor avoiding company seafood (7)24 Granny turning over half of Indian bread? (4)25 Dullness — there’s nothing quick about it (7)30 Told US schoolgirl about ground nut (7)31 Cleaner shot in the arm?