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The theme is two historic people who were contemporaries. Unclued lights give their forenames, places of birth and death and occupations. A geographical feature (5) linking the two will appear in the completed grid and must be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore an apostrophe. The solutions at 22 and 27 share the same two unchecked letters.
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Eight headwords in Chambers consist of the same word. Unclued lights (including two trios and one doing double duty) give definitions of these headwords. The word will appear in the completed grid and must be shaded. Across 5 End with cloudy sort of wine (7, hyphened) 10 Strappers said to break down (4) 12 Rod pranged caravan in Mexican city (10) 15 Scandinavian chap portrays meadow with tailless leporine rodent (6) 18 Greasy stuff’s turned Nicole Knight off (5) 19 Is Corn State Charlie related to goddess?
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On 15 September somewhere bordered by 31 and 5, and whose capital is 40/10 (ignore an accent), celebrates its 43 from 35. Its main exports are 36 and 19D and, unusually, it has no 1 (two words). Its IVR (2) appears downwards in the completed grid and must be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore one accent. Across 12 Dippy Irish auntie’ll like Bond’s boss’s name (10) 14 Plump and very well indeed (3) 15 Turning eighteen, Romeo is too theatrical (8) 17 Some unwill the sorry state of Ruskin (5) 18 Upper second from Leeds?
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Fans of classic 12 will know that where ‘Q’ = ‘the number of’: Q26 x Q1D x (Q34 + [Q36D/5A x Q15D]) x Q14/20 = Q the puzzle. 14/20 is four words in total. Across 1 Red vestment eastern compère retains (6) 10 Seeds of casaba once processed (10, two words) 11 Ruth from the East posed outside for painter (6) 15 Contralto with yen for bonbons (5) 16 Blissful Enid cycling in the City?
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Five unclued lights form a quotation from a work concerning the 18 of 19, 15A and 23. The 18’s name will appear in the completed grid and must be shaded. Across 4 Placidity of English queen nearing Ross and Cromarty town (9) 9 Dumb mimickings parish rioters bandied (10) 11 Old statesman from Burundi following woman around (5) 12 Fishy young goddess snubbed arriviste (7) 14 Refined gent eats over in the same place (5) 16 Classy hawk takes kip in Kelso (6) 21 People and prophet largely like a bunch of grapes (8) 22 What stimulates enthusiasm?
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Unclued lights are anagrams of eight words which are of a kind. Across 1 Result of hooker’s foul work?
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Unclued lights are words from a poem, its author and a relevant location. Elsewhere, ignore two accents. Across 7 Music like reggae from Saskatchewan (3) 11 Carriage policeman pulled over beside hedge (6) 13 Judge meets drug addict who’s declining (7) 15 Ionian cardinal crossing Iowa (5) 16 Strong pickle’s sound (5) 17 Seminary keeps beer for Arab?
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Clockwise round the grid from 3 run the names (7,4,5,6,8,8,5,6) of four characters in a novel followed by the initials of its author. Two pairs of unclued lights (20/39 and 11/26) each combine to form an anagram of the novel’s title.
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Unclued lights suggest nine different words, each made up of the same five letters. These letters will appear in the completed grid in an alphabetically ordered sequence which must be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore an accent. Across 6 Young sailor turned cricketer (6, hyphened) 12 In the normal way all sections united in study (10, three words) 13 Wrongfully seize moneylender soft King Edward spared (5) 14 Connected to god, visionary peeled bananas (7) 15 College in California returned call concerning religious instruction (10) 16 Type of bathroom to fit in exactly (7, two words) 22 Plunder from woman’s junk?
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6A and 42 (whose unchecked letters give IDEA) combine to suggest the title of a novel. Remaining unclued lights give the forenames (in one case a nickname) of six of its characters, whose surname (5) will appear diagonally in the completed grid and must be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore two accents. Across 1 Interceder tried maxi getting dressed (9) 9 Sloth-like nursemaids?
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A pair of unclued lights (three words in total) give an event. Remaining unclued lights, including a pair (three words in total), each bring to mind the same relevant word in one of three different ways.
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Unclued lights are words from a famous poem whose title will appear in the completed grid and must be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore an accent.
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The HEADWORD (26) ‘bail’ appears six times in CHAMBERS (1D). Its different meanings include CROSSPIECE (1A), BAR (25), FRAME (36), HOOP (40), LADLE (16) and SECURITY (24). BAIL (diagonally from 32) was to be shaded. First prize Jacqui Sohn, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth Runners-up Alexander Caldin, Houston, Texas; B.
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Clockwise round the grid from 16 run the titles of four works (4,4,9,6,1,5,3,5,3,4,6) by a late great 3 (two apostrophes) followed by the 3’s initials. The remaining unclued lights combine to give a further such title (three words in total). Elsewhere, ignore an apostrophe.
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Five unclued lights are titles of RAGS (24) by SCOTT JOPLIN (32 31), who died on 1 April 1917.
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‘21D/14’ (four words in total) is an instruction (in ODQ) with which solvers will comply by inserting the remaining unclued lights. The source of the instruction will appear diagonally in the completed grid and must be shaded.
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The same 26 appears six times in 1D. Remaining unclued lights exemplify its different meanings. The 26 will appear diagonally in the completed grid and must be shaded. Across 7 Chief cycling daily (4) 11 Young man has time for special author (5) 12 Food Victor feeds forces (6) 13 A road alongside hill in Cheshire? (7) 15 Heart of some lady fair (4) 17 Maybe Oxford lecturer has eyepiece with unique cavity (10) 18 Water casks?
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Unclued lights (in red) are the characteristics of ‘the period’, from the opening sentence of A Tale of Two Cities. The highlighted words are part of the same quote, appropriately occupying the first line of the grid. First prize R. Snailham, Windsor, Berkshire Runners-up M.
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Thematic names are 1A/22 and 25/34, author of The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA. Thematic phrases appear in the shape of a double helix with mirror symmetry around the grid’s central axis. First prize Hugh Dales, Dysart, Fife Runners-up P.
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An unclued light is a name shared by two persons, one of whom is fictional. Remaining unclued lights give names connected with one or other of these persons. Solvers must shade the shared name. Elsewhere, ignore an apostrophe and two accents.