The perimeter, starting at square 38, yields six of the CITIES created to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee: DONCASTER, MILTON KEYNES, BANGOR, WREXHAM, DUNFERMLINE and DOUGLAS. STANLEY and COLCHESTER are the unclued lights. PORT (Stanley) had to be highlighted at 23 Across. First prize Gail Petrie, Brean, Somerset Runners-up Keith Williamson, Cambridge; Bill Ellison, Caversham, Berkshire
Unclued lights were associated with JUBILEE: years (CALENDAR, SCHOOL, FINANCIAL), clips (CROCODILE,PAPER, TIE) and London underground lines (CENTRAL, CIRCLE, NORTHERN). The title suggested PLATINUM (element 78, and type of blonde). First prize Brian Midgley, Shipston on Stour, Warwickshire Runners-up Arabella Woodrow, Riddlesden, West Yorks; Andrew Vernalls, Milton Common, Oxfordshire
The perimetric knights are MO FARAH, JASON KENNY, STEVE REDGRAVE and CHRIS HOY, all OLYMPIC WINNERS. Together they have amassed TWENTY-TWO (44) GOLDS (35). The DATE (17) linking them all is 23 March, indicated by 23 (DAY) and 3 (MONTH), which is the birthday of all four. First prize George Walker, Stockport Runners-up James Dowson,
The unclued entries give the origins of elements 110-118 now named Darmstadtium, Roentgenium, Copernicium, Nihonium, Flerovium, Moscovium, Livermorium, Tennessine and Oganesson. First prize Susan Edouard, Bexhill-on-Sea, E. Sussex Runners-up Trevor Evans, Drulingen, France; Phillip Wickens, Faygate, Horsham, W. Sussex
The paired unclued lights (2/25, 4/16, 5/28, 10/20, 13/17 and 15D/41) are anagrams of one another. First prize Trish Baldin, Chorley, Lancs Runners-up Michael Crapper, Whitchurch, Hants; J.E. Green, St Albans, Herts
The unclued lights were all extinct species. PTERODON was an acceptable variation at 5 Across. DODO was to be deleted from the final grid. First prize Jason James, Cambridge Runners-up Ian Shiels, Leeds; Hugh Schofield, Paris, France
The unclued lights when arranged as 12, 11, 43, 5, 24, 1D, 1A form Chambers’ definition of MULLET at 30D. First prize Lynne Mullen, Eastbourne Runners-up Susan Bell, Reeth, N. Yorks; Paul Davies, Reading, Berkshire
The emoticon which formed the title of the puzzle suggested George Smiley, Le Carré’s nemesis of MI6 moles, ordered as per the thematic rhyme: Alleline (Tinker), Haydon (Tailor), Bland (Soldier) and Esterhase (Poorman). First prize Charles Oliphant-Callum, Crowthorne, Berks Runners-up Nick Porter, Beeston Sandy, Beds; Margaret Shiels, Edinburgh
The four-letter word was BAND. Unclued lights suggest bandicoot (7A), bandh (11), banda (41), bandana (1D), bandoneon (3), bandook (7D), bandar (14), bandolero (19) and bandy (35). BAND (ending on 26) was to be shaded. Title: name of a BAND. First prize Tim Knox, London WC1 Runners-up Kathleen Durber, Stoke-on-Trent; Peter Chapman, South Perth, Western
The unclued lights and those clued without thematic definition (7, 11, 17, 30, 31, 32, 36 and 41) are SHORTened versions of Christian names which are confirmed as such in Chambers. First prize Chris James, Ruislip Manor, Middlesex Runners-up Ray Ridley, Tyne and Wear, South Shields; Jenny Atkinson, Little Chalfont, Bucks
PALE FIRE is a novel by Vladimir NABOKOV (18). Synonyms of words in the novel’s title are 7, 15A, and 28, 36. Surnames of characters are KINBOTE (27), the components of which are defined by 21 and 37, and SHADE (1A), which is defined by 30 and also indicates how to treat the concealed title.
The poem is ‘Rondeau’ by Leigh Hunt. Its first three words as quoted in ODQ are ‘JENNY KISSED ME’ (diagonally from 1). The words are JUMPING (1A), SAD (19), SWEETS (35), OLD (38), HEALTH (7D), WEARY (8), THIEF (18), GROWING (30D) and WEALTH (33). HUNT (29) was to be shaded. First prize Terry Lavell, London
The unclued lights are phrases which include the numbers from 1 to 7, with 1 featured twice. First prize John Bennett, Havant, Hants Runners-up David Brown, Riemerling, Germany; Robert Cross, Northleach, Cheltenham, Glos
NICOLAS POUSSIN painted ET IN ARCADIA EGO and A DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME. The latter inspired ANTHONY POWELL, whose novel sequence of the same name introduced the egregious Kenneth WIDMERPOOL. First prize Gill Wayne, London SW9 Runners-up Storm Hutchinson, Dulas, Anglesey; Alison Latham, Pinkneys Green, Berkshire
Suggested by 41, the other unclued lights were worms entered backwards in the grid. To comply with the preamble, 6 down needs to be CESTODE (the individual worm) rather than CESTODA (the subclass). First prize Leslie Verth, Newton Mearns, Glasgow Runners-up Roslyn Shapland, Ilkeston, Derbyshire. Oenone Green, Feltham, Middlesex
First prize Leigh Hughes, Bootle, Merseyside Runners-up Francis Wheen, Pleshey, Essex; Robin Jolly, Selsey, Chichester, West Sussex
Unclued lights are the many parts each man plays, from the ‘Seven ages’ speech by Jaques (29D) in As You Like It (2:7:139). First prize Andy Binstead, Stroud, Glos Runners-up Susan Hay, Perton, Wolverhampton; S.J.J. Tiffin, Cockermouth, Cumbria
The unclued lights and COMPOSERS (35A) are RIBBONS/Gibbons (1A), MAILER/Mahler (7), RAMEAN/Rameau (25), WANTON/Walton (26A), DELICES/Delibes (46), RAVENER/Tavener (1D), BELLING/Bellini (4), RAMPION/Campion (12), WRITTEN/Britten (26D). Title: cf. Charles-Marie WIDOR. First prize Peter Moody, Portchester, Hampshire Runners-up Alexander Caldin, Salford, Oxfordshire; Toby West-Taylor, Bristol
The unclued lights form a quartet of three-word terms, each of which has the letter count of (6,6,6) which is the ‘number of the Beast’: 21/45/35, 22/1A/23, 39/16/33 and 46/7/17. First prize Bridget Workman, Purley Runners-up Sebastian Robinson, Glasgow; Michael Fletcher, London E3
Unclued lights (PLAY, WITH, HOLD, DOWN) comprise components for the unclued cyclic sequence PLAY WITH, WITHHOLD, HOLD DOWN and DOWNPLAY. First prize William Orriel, Newton Abbot, Devon Runners-up Roger Baresel, London SW7; Emma Shearn, Mogadishu, Somalia
