Crossword

2171: 31 Across

Seven identical two-by-two squares in the completed grid must be highlighted to depict the unclued entries, each of two words.   Across   1    Eyesores left out of designs (5) 11    Beards or bristles I rate as ugly (7) 17    Was host dropping soprano, with tenor being groomed? (7) 18    Rust

2170: Hector’s Summer Nights

The unclued lights (one of three words and three of two), as three pairs and three individually, are of a kind. Ignore four accents and one apostrophe, in total.   Across   1    A few lines about criticism of Indian city pub (9) 6    Composer’s lost final catalogues (5) 9    Boy at

2169: Land

Six items of one kind, reading clockwise, form the perimeter, whilst four unclued lights are of another kind. All ten are in roughly appropriate positions. Solvers must highlight one clued solution which is an anagram of a word that could be added to the title to show what the grid represents.   Across   9   

2168: History exam

Each of twenty-two clues contains a superfluous word. Initial letters of these words spell three specimens of 5; these are represented respectively by 43, 40 and 27 18 in the 13 26D of a person whose surname is an unclued light. Remaining unclued lights combine to form the name by which the 26D is known.

2167: Groupies

The unclued lights are of a kind and are listed together in Chambers 2011. Solvers should highlight two normally clued solutions which together form another theme-word.   Across   1    Ties series of games with instrumentalists (11, two words) 7    Small county’s struggle (3) 11    Clog has lost its tip – repaired

2166: Somewhere X

Somewhere next to 34 and 12, 33 is 25, the highest mountain is 1D (two words), and the principal 3 and 39 are alongside each other in 19. Solvers must shade the clued light that is an anagram of the place’s name. Elsewhere, ignore two accents.   Across   1    Jittery Jonah hides Sonia and

2165: Not far off

According to a quotation (in ODQ) by a person whose surname is an unclued light, an area of five letters is 10 13 37 given a certain condition. Each of eleven clues comprises a definition and a hidden consecutive jumble of the answer including one extra letter; each of ten clues is of the same

Blank crossword

Solvers must create the barred grid for themselves; the resulting grid is symmetrical whichever side is uppermost. When submitting an entry, solvers need not indicate the clue numbers, but must clearly indicate the pattern of eight bars at the centre of the grid which is an example of the theme. This pattern is named as

2163: Muscle

Six unclued lights (one hyphened) suggest words each differently formed from the same 13 22, which appears as a clued light and must be shaded.#   Across   1    Common choir dressed in black and white (11) 11    Thing every elder has about yellow waistcoat (6) 15    Message in letter about this month in Paris?

2162: Stand in

In each of eleven clues the definition part contains a superfluous letter.  These letters, in clue order, 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 be entered in the grid. 

2161: Appellation contrôlée

The unclued lights (one doubly hyphened) share a medical similarity. (Despite appearances there are no rude words in the puzzle!)   Across   3    Revolutionary clock setting? (12, two words) 11    Vessels from fleet in the States (4) 12    When a name is misrepresented? (7) 16    Caught bird, reportedly, on rock

2160: 18 Down

Six unclued lights are 18 Down from the same source (five are entitled to appear; the sixth appears regularly). Six cells initially contain between two and six clashing letters; these must be resolved to display thematic 18. Elsewhere, ignore three accents and two apostrophes.   Across   10    A Republican politician maintains British dealt

2159: Wine, Woman and Song

Nine unclued lights are linked in three different ways (three lights to each) to a tenth, which solvers should highlight. All may be verified in Chambers.   Across   5    Wet month unproductive (6) 10    In the open, fish got cleverly hidden (10, three words) 12    Atom bombs are nuclear without exception (6, three words)

2158: Late bloomers

The unclued lights (33 with I) are of a kind, all verifiable in Chambers under the appropriate headword.   Across   1    Chief director takes one look at the league (13, two words) 8    Very best note on new piano (7) 10    1 and 10 down. Confused? I’m off! (7) 15   

2157: Song X

Round the perimeter clockwise from 1 run six lights of a kind (7,9,10,9,9,8): if the grid were a 13/12, they might collectively suggest the title of a song famously 22 19 years ago. Corner letters are held in STRONG REGARD. A relevant name (5) will appear in the completed grid and must be shaded. Elsewhere,

2156: Shoreline

Seven items of a kind read clockwise round the perimeter. In ten clues, cryptic indications omit reference to parts of answers; these parts must be highlighted, to reveal a definition of the perimeter items. Letters in corner squares and those adjacent to them could form WADERS, NOT OLD.   Across   11    Spirit and

2155: Poor Billy’s left out

The unclued lights (two must be paired) are of a kind, verifiable in Brewer.   Across 10   Details from Britain forged (4) 12   Colour of monster coming to grips with awfully vile demise, almost (10, two words) 14   Mother isn’t me or her, we’re told (3) 15   Offering a sleep before dance (8) 17   Trousers covering

2154: Clickety click

This puzzle marks the 40 of a 33 29. 16A, 24 and 1D (four words) are three of his works. 7 (hyphened) and 22A combine to give an anagram of the 29’s name (hyphened).   Across 1 Dawkins & co engaged in jobs (8) 6 We possess drugs Dutch proscribed (6) 11 Plants ruin York

2153: Selling

Each of thirteen clues contains one misprinted letter in the definition part. Corrections of misprints spell a phrase involving a pair of items. Unclued Across lights are examples of one of these items, and unclued Down lights are examples of the other. Ignore an apostrophe in a clued light.   Across   1 Crease in

2152: T20 – it’s just not cricket!

The unclued lights (and 4 Down + N) are of a kind and along with the suggestion given by the title, they indicate how all the solutions (clued and unclued) have to be adapted before being entered into the grid. Ignore two accents and one apostrophe.   Across   6    Carillon playing opening arrangement