Each of the unclued lights (one of two words and one of three) can be preceded by the same word which solvers must state when submitting their entry. All resulting phrases are verifiable in Brewer 19th edition. Across 1 Detached from musical backed by censor (8) 6 Thoroughfares more important than Norfolk waterways,
One 4-letter word is to be placed in the middle of another to yield an 8-letter solution: 6 ÷ 19 = 44: 14 ÷ 8 = 1A; 31D ÷ 37 = 31A; 22 ÷ 25D = 9 First prize John Bartlett, Shirley, Solihull Runners-up Anthony Harker, Oxford; Mrs D. King, Leeds
The unclued four-letter words can be paired in a particular way to form the remaining unclued lights (one of two words). Across 5 Be in contact with a jock’s love-in (6) 10 Isolation of actors Chaney and Wallach by headland (10) 12 Scar on saint is something of a problem
The unclued lights are all geographical locations – paired as anagrams: 13/9, 23/28. 30/17, 34/6 and 42/33. (33 Down is a river rather than a place-name, but DONETSK (33+K) would have maintained the theme more specifically, but then it is not an anagram of OSTEND!) First prize Magdalena Deptula, Eton, Berkshire Runners-up D.G. Tallis,
The unclued lights are broadly of a kind (33 differs from the others, though 33K would have been more appropriate, if it fitted in!). Each one Across can somehow be paired with a Down one. Elsewhere, ignore one accent. Across 4 Reacting slowly, having felled lime-tree with ease, almost (11, hyphened) 11
The unclued lights are examples of super slang listed on pp 7/8 in the Word Lover’s Miscellany section of Chambers 2011. First prize Paul Boswell, Hook, Hampshire Runners-up M. Puttick, Montpézat, France; M.F. O’Brien, London N12
The unclued lights (all but two of two words) are of a kind, listed in Chambers 2011. Elsewhere, ignore one accent. Across 1 Race to leave car in protected area (12, two words) 10 Regular car rides to Irish peninsula (4) 12 Able to include one opposing support (10) 14
The unclued Across lights are words abbreviated by C (= 100) and the unclued Down lights are abbreviated by c (= centimes). First prize Mrs P. Bealby, Stockton-on-Tees Runners-up Jacqui Sohn, Great Yarmouth, J. Murray, Exmouth
The unclued lights, across and down respectively, are of a kind, all verifiable in Chambers. Across 4 Single instruction on small firm’s photo visible to the naked eye (11) 11 Accidental but obvious choice (7) 12 Hard-hitting county fellow (6) 13 Following out, disturbed – get angry about it (9) 14 Drain away
The unclued lights are CONDUCTORS (SARGENT is an anagram of the title STRANGE). First prize Roderick Rhodes, Goldsborough, North Yorks Runners-up Ian Dempsey, Califon, New Jersey; Michael Ferguson, Berlin
The unclued lights are of a kind. Across 1 Remains close to the co-founder of the Townswomen’s Guilds (5) 10 Willing to help prepare musical backing (11, hyphened) 15 Girl in a race to immerse boy with fragrant oil right away (8) 18 Wrung a confession out of us
The unclued lights, when paired 12/20, 16/33, 25/29, 31/6, 42/2, are RICOCHET or reduplicated words. First prize Mrs Rhiannon Hales, Ilfracombe, Devon Runners-up Roger Sherman, Richmond, Surrey; D.V. Jones, Llanfair Caereinion, Powys
The unclued Across lights, when correctly paired with the unclued Down ones, are of a kind, verifiable in Brewer. Across 4 Deer and setters disturbed fire-arm supports (11, hyphened) 11 Bits of lava surround unfortunate one (7) 13 Valentino edited modern work (9, hyphened) 14 Wader’s support (5) 19 African Moslems’ bad sinuses (7)
The unclued lights (1A, 1D/36, 4/31D, 5/27, 15/16A, 16D, 25A/40, 42 are each the PSEUDONYM (anagram of ‘Dumpynose’) of a famous celebrity. See Brewer 17th edition revised, page 1112 et seq. First prize Mike Underwood, Auvillar, France Runners-up Anthony H. Harker, Oxford; Gillian Ollerenshaw, Bowdon, Altrincham
The unclued lights, individually (each of two words), or paired, are of a specific kind, verifiable in Brewer 17th Edition revised. Ignore a diacritic in the solution at 6 Down. Across 10 Make an impression as a sculptor? (10, three words) 12 Grim death of a harvester (6) 13 Wise men deck out, when
The chain of anagrams is as follows: 40, 8, 18, 25, 22, 23, 21D, 19, 1A First prize Robert Hirst, Twineham, West Sussex Runners-up Philip Berridge, Spalding, Lincolnshire; R.B. Briercliffe, Isle of Man
The unclued lights can be arranged into a chain of anagrams of 3 to 11 letters in length, with the addition of one letter step by step. Across 7 Towboat capsized in channel (3) 11 Contain grease once (6) 13 Against work — was perplexed (7) 15 Bender on river (5) 16 Two flowers
The unclued lights are characters from The Goon Show. The paired solutions are 22/20, 32/35 and 37/9. First prize Phillip Wickens, Penrith, Cumbria Runners-up Richard Snailham, Windsor; Roger King, Twickenham, Middlesex
The unclued lights, (one individually, one of two words and three pairs), are of a kind. Across 4 Popular executive having brush with copper can’t be condoned (11) 12 Left back’s round, round body (5) 13 Artless pastor immersed in revenue probe (11) 14 It’s steady to be unsteady
The unclued lights are foreign cities, as known in their own countries. First prize Vicky Thomas, Apokoronas, Crete Runners-up Mrs F. Brimacombe, Bideford, Devon; Gerry Fairweather, Layer Marney, Essex