Crossword solution

The unclued lights (paired at 14/38. 23/17 and 34/2) are SPECTATOR journalists or contributors. First prize Dr David Jerwood, Keighley, W. Yorkshire Runners-up Michael Moran, Penrith, Cumbria; Trevor Evans, Drulingen, France

Edmund Clerihew Bentley wrote: The art of Biography/ Is different from Geography/ Geography is about maps/ But Biography is about chaps. First prize Val Urquhart, Butcombe, Somerset Runners-up A. Mulholland, Nottingham; Phillip Wickens, Horsham, West Sussex

TOO-TOO is a HOMOPHONE (38) of TUTU (defined by 1A and 8, and the surname of 17, the former 11 of 25). The highlighted words, both starting at 22, combine to form a homophonous representation of the puzzle’s number. First prize Michael Grocott, Loughborough, Leics Runners-up Brenda Widger, Altrincham, Cheshire; F. Khaya, New South Wales,

The unclued lights are heraldic terms. First prize Simon Horobin, Kidlington, Oxon Runners-up Mick O’Halloran, Dunsborough, Australia; John Roberts, Cheltenham, Glos

The Poem was ‘Kubla Khan’ by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. 3A, 23, 42, 43, 3D, 4, 10 and 16 are words from the poem. KUBLA KHAN appears in the twelfth row. COLE (1A) and RIDGE (24) were to be shaded. First prize James Long, Richmond, Surrey Runners-up John Fahy, Thaxted, Essex; John Honey, London W13

Unclued lights complete the titles of Carry On films. First prize Tony Hankey, London W4 Runners-up Mark Roberts, Hostert, Luxembourg; Tony Dew, London SW13

The unclued lights are all preceded by GREAT to form the phrases that can be confirmed in Brewer. (The clue at 40A suggests GREATEST LIE, also listed in Brewer). First prize Leslie Mustoe, Hitchin, Hertfordshire Runners-up Rhiannon Hales, Ilfracombe, Devon; Andrew Vernalls, Milton Common, Thame, Oxfordshire

The poem was Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats. 1A, 16, 21A, 30, 38, 8, 13, 27, 29 and 35 all appear in it. A GRECIAN URN appears diagonally from 9. STEAK (39) was to be shaded. First prize Sid Field, Stockton-on-Tees Runners-up M. O’Hanlon, North Berwick, Scotland; Hugh Schofield, Paris

Films starring AUDREY HEPBURN (4 29) include MY FAIR LADY, BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S, SABRINA FAIR and ROMAN HOLIDAY in the perimeter, and (defined by the puzzle’s title) CHARADE.   First prize Ray Nolan, Droylsden, Manchester Runners-up Sandra Speak, Dursley, Glos; Stephen Saunders, Midford, Bath

The unclued lights include at least four Os (IV Os), and other clued solutions contain two or three. OROONOKO at 6D is the novel and has five Os.   First prize David Warren, Gorey, Co. Wexford Runners-up J.E. Pugh, Cardiff; S.J.J. Tiffin, Cockermouth, Cumbria

The theme word is CLIMBER. All unclued lights are therefore entered going upwards. There are three different types of climbers: plants (1, 8 and 22), mountaineers (4 and 27) and social climbers (14 and 18). First prize Andreas Fabian, Dunsden, Oxon Runners-up Hugh Aplin, London SW19; Sandra Speak, Dursley, Glos

The unclued Down lights are books, entered in reverse as indicated by the phrase TURN-UP FOR THE BOOKS (1A 27 28 43). First prize Daniel Angel, Twickenham, Middlesex Runners-up Rhidian Llewellyn, Minchinhampton, Glos; Jacqui Sohn, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

The unclued Across lights (15, 23/21, 38 and 39) are LITERAL anagrams of the unclued Down lights (3, 19, 32/37, 2) First prize Anthony Harker, Oxford Runners-up E.A. Wright, Fleetwood, Lancs; K.J. Williams, Kings Worthy, Hants

‘THE OLD ORDER CHANGETH YIELDING PLACE TO NEW’, from Tennyson’s IDYLLS OF THE KING, suggests the outcome of ANAGRAMMATISM (2). ALFRED LORD TENNYSON is an anagram of 9/20/22/38. Title: anagram of THE OLD ORDER.   First prize Michael Smith, Aldershot, Hants Runners-up Dr J.A. McClellan, Portsmouth, Hants; A.C.R. Bull, Canterbury, Kent

The future is not for parties ‘playing politics’ (16 29 1A 15) is a quotation by Woodrow Wilson. 1A provides a cryptic indication of 5, 13, 23 and 28. First prize Stephen Saunders, Midford, Bath Runners-up F.J. Bentley, Tiverton, Devon; Ian Dempsey, Oldwick, New Jersey

The unclued lights were preceded by PETER (translation of 32A) to form phrases listed in Chambers or Brewer. First prize Christopher Bellew, London W6 Runners-up Alexander Caldin, Salford, Oxfordshire; Mark Roberts, Hostert, Luxembourg

The fictional SCHOLAR (28) was Billy Bunter, described by his creator, Frank Richards, as a ‘FAT GREEDY OWL (22A/31/26)’ (in ODQ). SILLY (13) and PUFFING (18) are associated with ‘Billy’ and KEUPER (4) and MUSCHELKALK (16D) (in Chambers individually and under ‘Triassic’) with ‘Bunter’. Title: ‘bunter’ is a low woman or mort.   First prize

PERCH (13A), SCAR (21A and 10D), SHAD (40A), EEL (5D) AND CARP (19D) were ignored in wordplay in their clues. The other unclued lights are listed in Chambers as things you may FISH for. First prize P.D.H. Riddell, London SE23 Runners-up Lynne Gilchrist, Willoughby, Australia; A. Willson, Leicester

The thematic unclued lights (4D, 20D, 34D, 40A and 41A+27A) are COUNTRIES, and the other unclued lights are their anagrams, respectively 38A, 13A, 7D, 16A and 28A+15A. First prize Sebastian Robinson, Glasgow Runners-up Chris Edwards, Pudsey, Leeds; S. Daneff, London SW18

Unclued lights were set out in the form of two squares in the grid (shown here in red). The theme word was 18. 1, 10, 12 and 38 are defined by it in one sense; 15, 19 and 43 in another. Highlighting TIMES (square) gave the fourth example of a city square. First prize K.D.