1 Across and 45 Across form a phrase, and the other unclued entries form a word ladder linking them, by changing one letter at a time, always forming real words. Elsewhere, ignore an accent. Across 11 Weary junkie’s eaten mollusc (10) 13 Everything taken into account, at last, endlessly (5, two words) 14 Holiday
All the unclued Across lights are of a kind, as are all the unclued Down ones. They can be paired appropriately, and can be confirmed in Brewer. Across 4 What’s blocking criminal courts I bet around five? (11) 11 Land adviser returning to wharf without question (7) 16 Suave young socialite leaves broadcasting (5,
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
One unclued light, a term for a boundary of an area whose name is formed by two unclued lights, is a 19 of five items (one of which consists of two words, and one of which is hyphened) reading clockwise in the perimeter. Letters in corner squares and those adjacent to them could make CLAN
The dozen unclued lights can be arranged in a specific sequence when preceded by or followed by their sequence indicators which do not appear in the puzzle. But, two clued solutions happen to include the second word of the sequence! All but one (at 19, with an apostrophe) of the dozen resulting phrases can be
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.
2 describes a pair of unclued lights (three words altogether), which in turn include the others. Across 12 Single by pop group: ‘Go for violent crime’ (8) 13 Beast’s sardonic-sounding refusal (5) 14 Wing and tail feathers missing one month (8) 16 Book I inscribed for myself? (4) 20 Will’s to resurrect a year’s
The unclued lights (three of two words) are of a kind. Across 1 Slices top of sausage in front of dogs (5) 6 Starting at Keele, say, in flames? (7, two words) 11 Former England captain has Alec Robins out (10, two words) 15 Heartless Valentine’s streamer (4) 17 Wild chatter has teeth
Unclued lights are three groups of three words of a kind, each group defined by the name of a different main character from a novel. The fourth main character of the novel (6, two words) must be highlighted in the completed grid. Across 1 I hope gas travels in passages in US (8) 8
One unclued light (three words) is a phrase referring to an item whose scientific name is formed by two unclued lights. The first word of this name can be divided into three words, each of which has two synonyms among the other unclued lights. Across 1 Strip back stagecoach seat, not wide (5) 9
In loving memory of 20 41 Considine (10/10/27–24/7/18), the doyenne of crossword compilers. The unclued lights and those clued without thematic definition are of a kind. Ignore two accents. All are confirmed in Chambers. Across 4 Poor twerp forced to know his lines thus? (11, hyphened) 11 Travelling bohemians leave me out (7) 13
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
Each of ten clues contains a misprinted letter in the definition part. Corrections of misprints spell a word which can be read as an indicator of the unclued lights in each of four columns of the grid. Across 1 Revolutionary avoids accepting one god (7) 6 Destroyed each bit of opium (7) 11
The unclued lights (two of two words, and the rest paired) are of a kind. Across 1 Book with smears around comments on jackets (6) 7 Fashions in stationers (6) 11 Made supple, brewing old-time ale (10) 14 US novelist left out, downstairs (5) 15 Wife and marine attacked telegraph fitter (7) 17 One
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
Three items (one consisting of three words, and two consisting of four words each) read clockwise round the perimeter. Part of their source’s name is given by a light clued without definition; the rest (two words, rendering the 13 in 30) is concealed in one row and should be highlighted. Ignore an accent. Letters in
One of the clued lights below reveals the theme which Brewer confirms. One of the unclued lights is not paired as the others are. Two successively numbered unclued lights form one of the theme words. Across 1 Become angry when deportees sadly lose pot (6, two words) 7 Veto in favour of offer (6)
2/11/12 is a four-word quotation in Chambers. Remaining unclued lights (all appropriate to the language the quotation is in) are three sets of three words of a kind, each set suggested by one word of the quotation. One unclued light associated with the whole of 2/11/12 must be highlighted. Across 1 A wimp inhales air,
Four of the unclued entries make up a ten-word Shakespearean quotation, including an apostrophe. The other three (two of two words each) represent three possible victims. Elsewhere, ignore an accent. 34 is in Brewer’s. Across 11 He almost banned awfully poisonous plant (7) 12 Cross Spain with a formative stage (4) 14
The unclued lights are of a kind. Ignore all accents and diacritical marks throughout the puzzle. The fifth letter of each of the nine unclued lights reveal A BASS FUEL. Across 5 Garden flowers heard of by the congregations (6) 9 It’s sure to happen when Close is dropped from cable television broadcast (10)
