Crossword

2291: Seriously?

In ten clues, the wordplay omits one of the letters of the solution. These letters in the grid, read row by row, complete the missing two words of an 11-word quotation (in the ODQ) given by five unclued entries. The other unclued entries give the name of the speaker. If these same letters in the

2290: Timely II

Clockwise round the grid from 11 run three trios (8,4,6,5,9,3,5,8,4), each trio combining to suggest the same word. A trio of unclued lights combine to give a relevant activity (hyphened) and the remaining unclued light gives a relevant name verifiable in Brewer.   Across 9    Hat to be pleased with resembling a boater (10) 13   

Festive features

99 (five words) and 20 (four words), whose 37 were 61 (two words) and 35D (two words), are seasonal 53 featuring the 78 whose name is formed by two unclued lights. Two unclued lights (of two words each) are the names of the 78’s 68D. In nine clues, cryptic indications omit reference to parts of

2289: I don’t believe it!

The unclued lights, as a singleton and four pairs with one unclued light doing double duty, are of a kind, verifiable in Brewer. Two of the unclued lights are of three words, one including an abbreviation. All but one of the remaining unclued lights are of two words. Ignore two apostrophes.   Across 10   

2288: Housey-housey

The unclued lights (ignore two apostrophes and an umlaut) are of a kind, as verified in Brewer.   Across 1    Seating right up to date (5, two words) 6    Run off book in a moment, not English (7) 11    Learner chews roach sadly (10, hyphened) 15    Shortly irritate returning US politician (4) 16    Bill interprets old fears

2287: Quarry

In eight clues, cryptic indications omit reference to parts of answers; these parts must be highlighted, to reveal a word that defines each of the unclued lights. Two unclued lights consist of two words each.   Across 1    Quiet exercises by expert (5) 9    Locusts, very large, after jelly and syrup (10) 11

2286: B

The unclued lights are of a kind. Ignore one grave accent.   Across   1    Hails a picador, awfully exciting (13) 11    Difficult child had fun playing close to school (7) 12    Father has undone Turk’s head (5) 14    As You Like It — a piece of theatre by Shakespeare (6, two words) 16    Peg

2285: Characterful

Unclued lights are three groups of three words of a kind, each group relating differently to a theme word. This theme word appears in the grid (8 letters, reading across) translated into the appropriate language and must be highlighted. The unchecked and cross-checking letters in the nine theme words are DARN HANDSOMELY arranged.   Across

2284: Shocking!

Unclued lights consist of a quotation (in ODQ), its speaker and source, and a synonym (one hyphened) of each of its three words. Its author appears in the grid and must be shaded.   Across 1    Excel as old Greek character among women (11) 11    Cable runs past part of bow (6) 13    Look in

2283: Be damned

The unclued lights (one of two words, one of three and-another of four components) are of a kind. Chambers gives only a cognate of the solution at 7 Down.   Across 9    River in middle of West Bank city (4) 11    Seafarer of marked individuality, but primitive (10) 12    Clear illustration includes appendage of seed

2282: Timely

Clockwise round the grid from 21 runs a timely quotation (9,5,3,5,2,7,3,11,5) (in ODQ) followed by the initials of its author, a 2/5. The source is 18/17.   Across 8    Plump for some drinks and a sandwich (5) 9    Law-officer fills ditch for president (6) 10    Passé person knows Beatrix by name (7, hyphened) 12    Classy

2281: Fail

Each of eleven clues comprises a definition part and a hidden consecutive jumble of the answer including one extra letter; the extras spell a three-word phrase. Clues in italics consist of cryptic indications of partial answers; in each case, the indicated part must do as stated by the phrase to create the full answer to

2280: Acorns

The unclued lights are of a kind, verifiable in Brewer. Ignore one apostrophe.   Across   1     Top for one dining in Cornwall? (7) 11     Rainy weather trapped everyone, in case (6) 12     Chosen the same, leaderless (7) 14     Old sweetheart at short race track (5) 16     Hang around. Look

2279: Where it’s at II

Four pairs of unclued lights suggest the constituent parts of a name (two words). Elsewhere, ignore three accents.   Across 1    Chapel always including prayer unknown (8) 9    Zoological region’s evolved arcane goat (10) 14    Fate of Abram’s companion (3) 16    Brother, say, and mother’s skull part (6) 17    Train carrying Academician into college (5)

2278: Will alterations

Across clues contain a definition and a jumble of the answer. In each row of the grid, a Shakespearean character is hiding, disguised by one letter. In one instance, the character does not occupy a whole entry — and in that instance the character is also hiding in the previous row. The disguises add up

2277: Royalty

Having solved the puzzle, solvers are required to highlight a 2×2 square which contains the four letters of the otherwise unclued theme word. This theme word can be paired with five of the unclued lights. The resulting pairs are then defined by the remaining five unclued lights (two of two words), all of which can

2276: Iron Man

Definitions in ten clues contain a misprint; corrections spell out a theme word. Unclued lights are four pairs of words of a kind, each relating to the theme word in a different way. Elsewhere, ignore one accent.   Across 11    Like some parasites? See ten in rotten tree house (12) 12    Statesman needs iron, regularly

2275: Frame of reference

Seven words read clockwise round the perimeter, in alphabetical order. Each of eighteen clues contains a misprinted letter in the definition part. Corrections of misprints spell two words; the first defines six words in the perimeter, and the second defines the last word in the perimeter. Letters in corner squares and those adjacent to them

2274: Round and round

The perimeter squares yield six theme-words in order, though any one of them can come first. The remaining unclued lights (two individually and a pair) reveal three more theme words. Solvers are asked to highlight in the appropriate colour a final two-word theme-word hidden in two rows in the completed grid.   Across   6   

2273: Numbers

Clockwise round the perimeter from 3 run the titles of three items (1, 6, 3, 1, 4, 2, 1, 4, 1, 4, 3, 4, 5, 6, 3, 4) from the same source, the title of which is epitomised by the four unclued lights. Ignore two apostrophes. Across 8    Slowly cycling with a bouquet? (5) 9