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Unclued lights were set out in the form of two squares in the grid (shown here in red). The theme word was 18. 1, 10, 12 and 38 are defined by it in one sense; 15, 19 and 43 in another. Highlighting TIMES (square) gave the fourth example of a city square. First prize K.D. Birkett, Heysham, Morecambe, Lancs Runners-up R.A.
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Two words form the name of a fictional 28, described by his creator as a ‘22A/31/26’. Remaining across unclued lights are associated with the first word and down ones with the second. Elsewhere, ignore an accent.
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The unclued lights can be arranged to give: ‘I decided to sell my Hoover … well, it was just collecting dust’ (by) Tim Vine. This was voted best one-liner at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe. First prize D. Morris, Birchington, Kent Runners-up Elizabeth Feinberg, Rancho Mirage, California; M.
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Seven unclued lights (one hyphened) are 23: 7A + 17 + 40 + 5 + 6 + 31 = 36. Ignore one accent. Elsewhere, ignore an apostrophe and two accents. Across 1 Half per cent off haircut (11, two words) 11 Girl crafty in conversation (6) 13 Lunatic ran through crazy Swiss town (7) 15 Stop charging about part of church (5) 16 Scots ask gentleman about Peru (5) 18 Friendly earl cuddled priest’s daughter (5) 20 Yarn one from Paisley spins in recurring patterns (6) 21 Sack or Martini?
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Clockwise round the grid from 31 run the titles of four works (6,3,5,7,5.1,5,7,8,5) associated with a 21 and 25A born 16 years ago. The twenty corner letters produce LIVELY ELEMENTAL ARIAS. Solvers must shade the three clued lights that combine to form the 21’s name (two words). Elsewhere, ignore an apostrophe and two accents. Across 8 Mirage, maybe of river, taking one in (5) 9 Ring from small belfry?
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Ambrose Bierce defined history as an account, mostly false, of events, mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers, mostly knaves, and soldiers, mostly fools. ‘Bunk’ is another famous definition of ‘history’. First prize Mrs J. James, Harrow, Middlesex Runners-up J.E.
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‘1D/19’ (six words in total) is a work by 18/13. Remaining unclued lights form two pairs suggested by 13.
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The theme word is PHOENIX (38A). 6A, 12A and 26A are legendary birds; 15A, 28A and 4D are state capitals; 16A, 30D and 37D are the ‘Southern Birds’ constellations. The title was suggested by River Phoenix and the Phoenix Islands.
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The END (19) of Rameau, a great COMPOSER (1A) of OPERAS (6) and for the CLAVECIN (1D), occurred in PARIS (37) CCL (25) years ago, on 12th September 1764. Born in DIJON (21), he was a friend of VOLTAIRE (26) and an enemy of ROUSSEAU (41). RAM (29) and EAU (31) were to be shaded. First prize Peter Done, Turramurra, Australia Runners-up Jenny Atkinson, Little Chalfont, Bucks; S.J.J.
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Nine unclued lights each contain a different 20 from the same source. The title suggests a further such 20. Elsewhere, ignore an accent.
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In Vanity Fair (18/2), George Osborne is associated with 6/30 and 10/31. As Chancellor, he was preceded by 8, 26 and 29.
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The 19 of a great 1A of 6 and for the 1D occurred in 37 25 years ago this month. He was born in 21 and was a friend of 26 and an enemy of 41. Two clued lights together form his name and must be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore an accent.
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Gerry Goffin, popular LYRICIST (40), died on 19 June 2014. He wrote the perimetric songs IT MIGHT AS WELL RAIN UNTIL SEPTEMBER and WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW and also ONE FINE DAY (2), for which Carole King composed the music. The ‘linked’ GOFFIN (7th row) and KING (7th column) were to be shaded. The title refers to ‘Half Way to Paradise’, another Goffin and King song. First prize Heather Weeks, Hove, East Sussex Runners-up F.J. Bentley, Tiverton, Devon; A.
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Across unclued lights combine with down ones to form anagrams of the titles (one of two words) of four works by an author whose name (three words) will appear diagonally in the completed grid and must be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore an apostrophe and an accent.
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The grid represents Germany, with six bordering countries round the edge, and four cities in the interior, positioned roughly appropriately in relation to each other. 21 across is an anagram of DEUTSCH, which could be added to LAND to make DEUTSCHLAND.
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In June we lost a popular 40. Clockwise round the grid from 3 run the titles of two of his works (2,5,2,4,4,5,9 and 4,3,4,2,8). A third title (three words) appears at 2. The 40’s name will appear in the completed grid together with another linked name: these linked names (nine squares in total) must be shaded. Corner letters could make LOW MISS RALLY.
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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 Sam’s stuff (11) 7 Writer of humourless English (3) 11 Plastic covering most of spout in extractor (6) 13 State name applied to murdered sheep-master (retired) (7) 15 Poet takes drug — Charlie?
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The LITERAL QUINTET (13/22) was TERSE (37). 7A suggests ‘reest’, 40 steer, 5 stere, 6 ester, 19 trees and 26 reset. TERSE was to be shaded. The title suggests ‘teres’. First prize Gordon Fowler, Whitefield, Manchester Runners-up Richard Doye, Tuddenham, Suffolk; P.J.W.
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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?
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The unclued lights are all CHARACTERS (18D) in Plato’s dialogues, all but SOCRATES (1A) appearing in titles. In six cells, clashing letters could be combined to form letters of the Greek alphabet (e.g. LAMB + DA = LAMBDA) — these six characters spell out the name PLATO in Greek (Πλάτων, using lower case letters, was also acceptable). First prize Sandra Speak, Dursley, Glos Runners-up S.J.J. Tiffin, Cockermouth, Cumbria; M.