4, 40, 43, 1, 3, 16 and 17 were all examples of PORTMANTEAU words, into which are packed the sense (and sound) of two other words. First prize F. Whitehead, Harrogate, N. Yorks Runners-up Mark Rowntree, London SE10; D.G. Page, Orpington, Kent
One of the unclued 4-letter lights is placed in the very middle of another to form each of the four unclued 8-letter solutions: 8, around 30=44; 19, around 22=2, 37, around 25D=20; 38, around 21=13. First prize Val Urquhart, Butcombe, North Somerset Runners-up John Kitchen, Breachwood Green, Herts; Ros Miller, Oxford
Extra letters in clues gave SAM GOLDWYN, to whom are attributed I’LL GIVE YOU (5) A DEFINITE (8) MAYBE (1A), INCLUDE (23) ME OUT (7), and IN TWO (33) WORDS (34A) IM-POSSIBLE! (38). Goldfish was his former name. First prize Magdalena Deptula, Eton, Berkshire Runners-up Eddie Looby, Longbridge, Birmingham; Sue Topham, Newark
The thematic BEATLES ALBUM (38 32) is SERGEANT PEPPER (1A 6A). 1A defines 17, and can be divided into words defined by 31 and 20; 6A defines 6D, 19 and 24. First prize Margaret Lusk, Preston, Lancashire Runners-up C.G. Millin, Swindon, Wiltshire; David Caldecott, Bowerchalke, Salisbury
The unclued lights, as well as KEITH, are Scottish place names. TARBERT was required at 28A, rather than LARBERT. First prize Una Lynch, Haywards Heath, West Sussex Runners-up R.R. Alford, Oundle, Peterborough; Anson, London SE5
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
Corrections of misprints in clues give TANGLED UP IN BLUE, the title of a song by Bob Dylan. Answers to thematic clues are nine (15), rip (20), char (24), into (25) and fur (30), each tangled up in blue (respectively perse, cyan, navy, Saxe and teal) to form entries defined by 22, 1D, 13, 38 and
Solution to 2308: Landmark This puzzle was Doc’s 600th to be published in this series. The unclued lights are two-word phrases beginning with D and C (DC = 600). The paired lights are 7/8, 21A/39, 21D/3, 35/25 and 40/24. The solution at 7A, D-0-C, is the serendipitous link between the theme and the compiler’s name. First
On 18 March 2017 the great ROCK’N’ROLLER (3) Chuck Berry died. Round the perimeter run the titles of four of his compositions, ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN, JOHNNY B. GOODE, YOU NEVER CAN TELL and NADINE, followed by his initials. The further title given is SWEET LITTLE SIXTEEN (14/26/23). First prize Peter Dean, London W8 Runners-up E.
The instruction was ‘SEND IN THE CLOWNS’ (21D/14) from A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim. The remaining unclued lights were COCO (12), ANTIC (24), ZANY (43), FESTE (1D), COSTARD (5D), JOSKIN (30) and YORICK (33). SONDHEIM (diagonally from 21) was to be shaded. First prize Jo Eales, Edinburgh Runners-up John Sparrow, Padbury, Bucks;
The unclued lights are trios of Cluedo © rooms at 1A, 14A and 40, weapons at 6, 13 and 14, and suspects at 5, 27 and 36. The solution to the crime are the highlighted HALL, ROPE and PLUM. First prize P. Langdale, London N11 Runners-up Matthew Cawthorne, Watford, Hertfordshire; Barry Fisher, Bramhall, Stockport
The HEADWORD (26) ‘bail’ appears six times in CHAMBERS (1D). Its different meanings include CROSSPIECE (1A), BAR (25), FRAME (36), HOOP (40), LADLE (16) and SECURITY (24). BAIL (diagonally from 32) was to be shaded. First prize Jacqui Sohn, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth Runners-up Alexander Caldin, Houston, Texas; B. Taylor, Little Lever, Bolton
Five unclued lights are titles of RAGS (24) by SCOTT JOPLIN (32 31), who died on 1 April 1917. First prize Jenni Aldridge, Saffron Walden, Essex Runners-up Steve Reszetniak, Margate, Kent; Roger Theobald, Laverstock, Salisbury
The twelve undefined solutions become one Scottish and eleven English towns, if the final letter is omitted or a letter is added at the start. First prize Pamela Moorey, London EC1 Runners-up Glyn Watkins, Portishead, Bristol Lowri Williams, Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent
Unclued lights (in red) are the characteristics of ‘the period’, from the opening sentence of A Tale of Two Cities. The highlighted words are part of the same quote, appropriately occupying the first line of the grid. First prize R. Snailham, Windsor, Berkshire Runners-up M. Threasher, Winscombe, Somerset; Ben Stephenson, London SW12
Extra letters in clues give CONSTABLES, defining 7, 21 and 39. Other unclued lights are CONS (12, 16, 18) and TABLES (9, 20, 30). First prize Roland Rance, London E17 Runners-up Nigel Dobbs, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim; Ian Shiels, Bramley, Leeds
The unclued lights, including 28/3 in its English translation, are compositions by Carl Nielsen, (i.e. pieces of 8 Down). First prize K.J. Williams, Kings Worthy, Winchester Runners-up Roderick Rhodes, Goldsborough, North Yorkshire; Megan Warburton, Walthamstow, East London
The unclued lights are titles of Russian novels minus their ‘and’ (И in Russian): 17 CRIME and 9 PUNISHMENT (Dostoevsky), 40 WAR and 34 PEACE (Tolstoy), 22 FATHERS and 8 SONS (Turgenev), and 10 THE MASTER and 11 MARGARITA (Bulgakov). First prize Mrs G. Hancock, Thornbury, Bristol Runners-up Philip Dacre, York; Tom Richards, Wolfscastle,
Corrections of misprints in clues give INSIDE OUT. Thematic entries at 2, 15A, 25, 30 and 39 are defined by 5, 28, 11, 21 and 12. First prize Belinda Bridgen, London NW8 Runners-up S.J.J. Tiffin, Cockermouth, Cumbria; Tim Hanks, Douglas, Isle of Man
The unclued lights are seven COMPOSERS whose surnames begin with A to G, along with the eighth beginning with H, which is B natural in German notation. First prize Oliver Miles, Oxford Runners-up Miriam Moran, Pangbourne, Berks Tom Eadon, Melton Mowbray, Leicsa
