Crossword

2721: In short

21 solutions in the grid are represented as follows: A B C d H I K L m N O p r s t U v W X y z. They have to be fitted into the grid jigsaw-fashion. Across 12    German novelist from the Wiesbaden area (5) 14    Single within the boundaries of Headingley,

2720: Black and white

The unclued lights can all follow the same word, which is hidden in the grid and should be shaded. (Two of the phrases take the definite article.) Across 1 Pack slung across river boat (5) 10    Trounce principal predator (10) 11    Cover plate at last with prawn salad (6) 12    Brother caught in evil turning

2719: What’s in a name?

The unclued lights (including one pair) form three groups, each linked to thematic keywords in different ways. Across 3 With audit team, I’ve reassessed weariness of life (7,5) 10    French studio had remainer? (7) 13    Admitted Church pupil initially played outside (8) 16    Bait ram that is held inside (5) 18    Dutch island, an impediment

2718: Caged

The unclued lights (one hyphened and one of two words) each bear a common feature. Across 7 Rodent, second seen in store (6) 12    Old Scottish borrowers who show respect about sons (9) 13    Rookie driver owns leading assets capital (5) 16    Bedcovers obtained from Chester’s shopping arcades lacking a touch of elegance (6) 20   

2717: With my little eye

Eight unclued lights (three of two words, including an abbreviation) comprise two ingredients, an instruction and its instructor, and the work in which they feature. The ODQ provides confirmation. Across 1 Terribly pale, Tacitus yields (11) 11    Exotic fruit and slice of smelly cheese (6) 15    Tea after endless day in Russian cottage (5) 16   

2716: Cluelessness

Eight entries – only four of which comprise one word – possess titular properties. Across 11    Playful killer whales swimming, not terribly well, lacking energy (7) 12    Former parking cut in safe English city (6) 13    Question in National Curriculum test exercises (6) 14    Section of relatively revolutionary musical (5) 15    Wheels finally augmented by

2715 : Occidentals

The unclued lights (including six of two words and one of three words), individually, as pairs or as trios, are of a kind. Across 10    Tot ate more stewed fruit (4,6) 12    Beginning of term of some ninety months (6) 13    Gang carrying girl back to a prairie province (8) 16    Change place once on

2714: 81 lives

Unclued lights feature in the same entry in Brewer. Across 1    Worked at jobs making decorations for shirts (6) 7    Inkpad destroyed in crime (6) 12    I bite idly, puzzled whether or not something could be food (9) 13    Decorative form returns in piccolo voluntary (5) 16    Gauge very low returns internally (6) 20    Tax

2713: Outdressed

Clockwise round the grid from the square between 6 and 7 runs a quotation which could have referred to the three unclued lights, and its source (7,2,3,3,5,3,3,7,4,3,2,5,5). Across 9 Top part is the place to go in ships (5) 10   Wild party girl cycling (4) 11   Ex-president twice cut back tropical plants (5)

2712: Revisions

When paired the unclued lights, one hyphened and one French geographical name, and another which is a combination of 18 & 33, are somehow related. Across 1    Freight making vehicle move (5) 6    The architect’s malign intentions? (7) 13    Legal term about wills in US and Spain – late revision (4-5) 15    House-builders’ workplace isn’t

2711: Homework

Unclued lights give two lines of a poem, their author and a relevant location. Across 1    Magnificent place featured in dispatch papers (8) 15    Wrongdoer relinquishes first secret (5) 16    Cut some garlic (5) 17    Stomachs filled with endlessly bad, bad feelings (6) 18    Young lad bored by love before long (4) 21    Housing activity

2710: The clash

In one square in each quarter of the grid, across and down entries clash (leave these squares blank). From these eight letters four unclued lights (mutual anagrams) can be formed, each defined by one other unclued light. Across 6    Endlessly fortunate to go on morning walks (6) 10    No Southern Italian entertains blockheads (11) 11   

2709: Our set

The unclued lights are of a kind. One of them consists of two separate theme-words juxta-posed: one is of two words and two have to be paired. The letters in the red squares spell another theme-word and the letters in the yellowsquares can be arranged to form yet another (two-word) theme word. Across 1 Realise

2708: On the shelf

Two of the eight unclued entries, appropriately placed, were likened to two others by a name hidden in the grid. The other four unclued entries are thematic. Unchecked letters could be arranged to spell ‘NO VAIN OAP MISBELIEVER, HIM’. Across 1 Treated ATMs etc like cash cows (4,7) 7 Tailless parasite twitching (3) 13   In

2707: Get-together

Twelve unclued entries can form six new words (not in the grid) Across 4 Each Chrome browser’s opening changes online site for self-validation? (4,7) 12    No charge for these new dancing routines (9) 13    Goblin at last living in tree trunk (5) 14    Cover turned over, novel is Catch-22? (7) 15    Observe small branch (4)

2706: Pitched

The unclued lights, all but one being two or more words and some could include a hyphen, are of a kind. Across 6 Powers which followed BL in Texas (6) 12    Loathed nerd having left one-armed bandit damaged (10) 13    Blackwood, bridge player, rather gaunt (5) 15    Graham is on manoeuvres with NZ crime writer

2705: Thirty sevens

The unclued lights have an award-winning feature in common. Across 5 Webcam perhaps covering temporary accommodation (6) 10  With Head absent, our teachers brewed liqueur (10) 12  Start to grumble and show contempt, returning cabbage and sprouts (6) 16  Virginia starts to gripe about loss of nerve (5) 17  French film-maker returns in time to

2704: Lookalikes

Three pairs of unclued lights suggest three four-letter words which share the same last three letters but together form 40A-25D only. Solvers must shade the clued light that contains those three letters. Across 11    Lady also studied endlessly (6) 13    Cat televised a medic on board fishing boat (7) 15    Deed of

2703: Eeeesy does it

The unclued lights share a common feature, while two trios from among the clued Down solutions do so to a lesser extent. Ignore an acute accent. Across 1 Give confidence when not at sea, reportedly (6) 7 Tolerated, having cut through undergrowth and fouled (6) 13    River horse, so to speak (5) 16    County not

2702: Some beef

Nine unclued lights form three triplets, each related in a different way to the tenth. Across 1    Cartoonist has formerly captivated Spain (5) 10    Swayed and quit, sick in the stomach (10) 14    Handles fine fish (5) 15    Have a few days at skate park (5) 16    As support, use skinny leg (4,2) 20    Dancer