The unclued lights (including a pair) are of a kind. Across 3 No manual required for addict at pre-season match (4-8) 10 Old store attendants operating on different levels (4-3) 11 Extra name in article about garden feature (7) 13 Room spray distributed to armies (8) 16 Newspaper aunt’s torment (5) 19 Mum, almost for ever, in ward (9) 22
Five three-word phrases (in both Brewer and Chambers) have something in common. The unclued lights, correctly paired, form the second and third words of these. The first five words are hidden in the grid (across or down) and should be shaded. Across 1 Material two monarchs contribute to law suit (8) 5 Over-decorated cook eats
Down clues and entries are normal. Across clues have normal definitions but wordplays that omit a single letter from each answer, whose enumeration is given, and whose reduced form must be entered in the grid. Read in clue order, omitted letters spell out an Organic Message. Download a printable version here. Across 1 Mistress fixed
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. Across 11 Jam is an Asian food (6) 12 US record nut with some bread (6) 15 I’m
The unclued lights (including a pair, one word of which has to be read in reverse) are each somehow related to one other. Two grid entries are of two words and one (jocular) entry has four words and includes an apostrophe. Across 10 Where lines meet new lines (4) 12 Payment to landlord as the
Eight unclued lights are of a kind. Across 5 Al Gore eats by the truckload (6) 9 Dim and confused, fell in and died (3-7) 14 Boxer from Hayle is oddly knocked out (3) 16 Case of invertebrate found in hydrochloric acid (6) 17 March with nudists’ leader in buff (5) 18 Tramp about with
Two works, 1A/8 (four words in total) and 27/36, are by authors born in 25 and 17 respectively. Two other unclued lights give their forenames: a further relevant name will appear in the completed grid and must be shaded. Ignore an apostrophe. Across 7 Maybe bowler’s come again wanting wickets (3) 11 Turn
The unclued lights (two of two words) are of a kind. Across 1 Awards for very large Cadillacs, say (6) 11 Dave, Keith and I reviewed viceroy’s territory (10) 14 Basque cap with pillowcase on end of cot (5) 15 During performance, steal a jumper (7) 18 Healthy food on the golf course (6) 22 Scottish
Four unclued lights are of a kind and the remaining four can be arranged to indicate what unites them. Across 1 Woman with vintage Italian dress in racecourse (8) 6 Attack mischief maker with plastic gnu (6) 10 Electrical components in versatile robots (12) 11 Almost all wickerwork repelled essential oil (5) 13 Vehicle levy
Unchecked and mutually cross-checking letters in 14 unclued lights spell out PEEP – THE SPECTATOR CHARACTERS RECREATE REST. One such light is hyphened and another comprises two words. Across 1 Bundle of stuff needing time (7) 5 Dubious party assumes American power (7) 9 Church, with Old English exterior, from which arrows are launched (4)
The unclued lights become phrases, verifiable in Brewer, when their first (or, in one case, last) undefined word is added. One normal solution (also thematic in a way) includes the red and yellow names. Ignore all accents. Across 1 Players or cast, cast out – literally (6) 7 Cyndi Lauper release with live backing in
The unclued lights give various things which two lovers took or used on their journey. These include two of three words (one split over two lights) and one of two. The name of one lover is hidden in the grid and should be highlighted. Ignore two accents. Across 1 In a way, round university stifle speech
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. Spain
The unclued lights form four trios each associated with one of four theme words which solvers must discover and which do not appear in the grid. The 27 unchecked letters of these unclued lights for the wholly irrelevant comment: SO, DOC, CHARM EVELYN, GIRL FROM BBC. Across 9 Political meeting providing currency on top of
The eight unclued lights are of a kind. Across 1 One slandering and misrepresenting our claimant (11) 7 Purpose of Maoism oddly forgotten (3) 11 Trees concealing old furrow (6) 13 Bitterness of soldier on the radio (7) 15 Signature is tamper-proof, to some extent (5) 17 Sturdy or, conversely, broken? (6) 18 French here
Nine unclued lights (including two of three words and three of two with one in short form, ignore an apostrophe) have been seen on 35. A clued light gives a further example also in short form and must be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore an accent. Across 1 Stupid gents boy cleaned out (5) 10
The unclued lights (one of three words and two of two words), individually and one pair, can be verified in conjunction with the same headword in Brewer. Across 10 Where to find H or C readily available (2,3) 11 Rashford without minute deposit on the cornea (5) 13 Gold miners circling Lochnagar, say (5)
Four pairs of unclued lights are all similarly linked. Across 5 Mark sample of class essays (6) 9 I’m beginning to like hot chap’s twinkling of an eye (10) 14 Beginning of oxidisation on iron container? (3) 17 One who chooses mixed ramen (5) 18 Of sound mind, regularly returns wearing gold ring (5) 20
Clockwise round the grid from the square between 3 and 4 run the names (forename and surname) of four eminent victims (7,8: 5,8: 6,7: 5,6) of a deadly 7 who left us this year. 26 gives the 7’s forename and 32 is a synonym of his surname. Across 8 Dramatic Duchess of Cornwall, say,
The unclued lights are of a kind and are listed in Chambers. Across 1 Dry duck takes in energy drink (8) 6 Least exciting exam takes a minute (6) 10 Place for improvement? (8,4) 11 Man of note could break galley up – regularly (5) 13 Snapshot taken last month around Ohio for US novelist
