The unclued lights, (one of two words), individually or as three pairs, are of a kind. Collins Dictionary confirms the spelling at 29A.
Across
2 Poet seriously starting to think in French (7)
10 see 42A (3)
12 Wood work in exam (5)
14 Medley from little boy and little girl (7)
15 Tenor changing uniform with Oscar (6)
17 Exhaust with massage (4, two words)
18 US mine-owner is a shark (8)
22 It’s hit around to enjoy oneself on course (8, two words)
23 Reserve university sportsman is very pale (7, hyphened)
25 What’s left of the bortsch? (3)
27 Letter from Listener in German is sent back (3)
29 Drink of the gods, note, during morning tea, surprisingly (7)
35 see 31D (8)
39 Getting happy getting on with getting topped (7)
40 Rapidly pass the rapids, we’re told (5)
41 Small skewer, when broken, causes bother etc. (9)
42&10 Scolding sailor (6)
43 Lemur’s compliance? (6, hyphened)
44 Confident amateur’s wretched duress (7)
Down
3 Make certain criticism fails to start (6)
4 Soldiers’ pants (6)
5 Greens to produce US hormone (8)
6 This supporter would change top to fight (7)
8 Member one criticised, as decreed (10)
9 It happened during the 1970s (5)
13 Quiet substitute will freeze (8)
21 Mixture of real blooms? (6)
24 Broken settle always contained clothing (8)
26 Humorous character going round home on film? (8)
28 Small volume of water on strip (7)
31 35 Basuto craft (6, hyphened)
32 Perplexed, Christopher loses short character (6)
33 Letter from the volunteers (5)
34 Hardly some peaceful traditionalist (5)
A first prize of £30 for the first correct solution opened on 5 November. There are two runners-up prizes of £20 (or, for UK solvers, the latest edition of The Chambers Dictionary — ring the word ‘Dictionary’). Entries to: Crossword 2085, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP.
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