30 July is Independence Day in Vanuatu in MELANESIA (23D). Its capital city is PORT VILA (39/16), one of its volcanoes is LOPEVI (30), an indigenous reptile is the FLOWERPOT SNAKE (11/36) and its national anthem is YUMI YUMI YUMI (4/43A/43D). Its former name was THE NEW HEBRIDES (diagonally from 1) which must be shaded.
The unclued lights are words (or one phrase) which contain three pairs (3 x 2, in the title) of double letters: 13 Tennessee, 15/14 Sweet tooth, 17/37 Successfully, 21/24/39 Whippoorwill, 31/2 Bookkeeper, 41 Committee, 42/6 Barrenness. First prize Chris Edwards, Leeds Runners-up Graeme Palmer, Switzerland; Emma Corke, Abinger Hammer, Surrey
The unclued lights 11 SOLITARY, 8 POOR, 38 NASTY, 36 BRUTISH and 35 SHORT are descriptions of 1 THE LIFE OF MAN in 26 LEVIATHAN by 13 THOMAS HOBBES. First prize David Andrews, Surrey Runners-up Alexander Caldin, Salford, Oxfordshire; Geoff Hollas, London W12
As suggested by 11 across, the other unclued lights were anagrams of capital cities: 23A Nairobi, 25A Nassau, 29A Lima, 35A Pretoria, 40A Kabul, 2D Seoul, 6D Luanda, 20D San Marino, 28D Nicosia, 31D Manila. First prize Elaine Galloway, London SE6 Runners-up Dennis Cotterell, Carlisle; Wendy Whitelock, Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire
The title resolves into CL RVW which suggests the 150th anniversary of the birth of Ralph Vaughan Williams. The unclued lights are seven of his compositions: 1A, 1D, 8D, 11A, 15D, 19D/3D and 21D/39A. First prize Julian Prouse, Redditch Runners-up James Bristol, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire; Caroline Arms, Ithaca, NY
The unclued entry RECYCLING thematically links six unclued cyclic non-word permutations that appear in the systematic order GCYCLIN, NGCYCLI, INGCYCL, LINGCYC, CLINGCY and YCLINGC. The title alluded cryptically to SPORT/CYCLING. First prize Richard Andrews, Ashford, Middlesex Runners-up Sara MacIntosh, Darlington, Co. Durham; Roderick Rhodes, Goldsborough, N. Yorks
The perimetric names are NIJINSKY, NEVER SAY DIE, CREPELLO, THE MINSTREL, ROBERTO and TEENOSO, six of the nine Derby winners ridden by Lester Piggott who died on the 29th of May, the other three being ST PADDY (22), SIR IVOR (33) and EMPERY (4). DERBY (15) and LESTER (35) were to be shaded. First prize
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
