The pairs of unclued lights (1 and 13; 15 and 11; 20 and 34; 25 and 39; 26 and 31/16 reversed) are literal anagrams of each other. First prize Justin Hughes, Petersfield, Hants Runners-up Jacqui Sohn, Gorleston, Norfolk; John Bennett, Havant, Hants
The unclued lights are all types of sweet. The title indicated SWEETIES, an anagram of ‘I SEE WETS’. First prize Will Devison, Shaldon, Devon Runners-up Philip Grindrod, London W4; Emma Corke, Abinger Hammer, Surrey
The two works are THE OLD WIVES’ TALE (1A/8) by ARNOLD (34) Bennett, born in HANLEY(25), and TALKING HEADS (27/36) by ALAN (35) Bennett, born in ARMLEY (17). BENNETT, in the fourth row starting at 16, had to be shaded. First prize Alison Latham, East Wittering, West Sussex Runners-up Stephen Saunders, Midford, Bath Mike Carter, Kirkby
The unclued lights are brands of CHOCOLATE. First prize T. Darch, London NW8 Runners-up Nicole O’Keeffe, London W11; Andrew Durham, Cooroy, Queensland, Australia
The unclued lights are four female winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature. First prize Angela Robinson, Brighton, East Sussex Runners-up Elizabeth Knights, Walton Highway, Wisbech; Andrew Vernalls, Milton Common, Thame, Oxon
The 14 unclued lights can be constructed using only the letters in ‘THE SPECTATOR’, as indicated in the preamble. First prize Belinda Bridgen, London NW8 Runners-up J. Bielawski, Southport; Hugh Green, Petersfield, Hampshire
The unclued lights reveal phrases beginning (or, with 8, ending) with the numbers 1 to 10. The red and yellow squares reveal two members of LES SIX, the solution at 45 Across. First prize Jenny Mitchell, Wells, Somerset Runners-up Sean Smith, Southport; Rupert Cousens, Oxford
The journey was that of the Owl and the Pussy-cat, by Edward Lear. OWL appears diagonally backwards in the bottom right of the grid. First prize J. McClelland, Bangor, Northern Ireland Runners-up Paul Elliott, London W12; Rex Anderson, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
7D sung by 40A suggested other unclued lights, all anagrams of fruits: 12A mango; 17A apple; 18A apricot; 24A damson; 9D tangerine. MELON, an anagram of LEMON, was to be highlighted. First prize Kathleen Durber, Stoke-on-Trent Runners-up Clare Reynolds, London SE24; Sid Field, Stockton on Tees
The unclued lights are surnames of the twelve celebrities who bear the forename of the four patron saints of the British Isles. ANDREW 1A, 5, 36, DAVID 17, 31, 35, GEORGE 24, 28, 34 and PATRICK 21, 37, 39. First prize Wendy Atkin, Sleaford Runners-up Lewis Osborne, Newton Mearns, Glasgow; Neil Mendoza, Oxford
The unclued lights are all gems. The title, ‘Seamless schemes’, cryptically suggests ‘stratagems’ without ‘strata’. First prize M. Barret, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, Herts Runners-up Kim Christison, Larbert, Stirlingshire; Mary Caldecott, London W12
Nine unclued lights have been seen on STAGE (35): THE RIVALS (4A), ELECTRA (27), THE BIRDS (29), ALL MY SONS (39), LYSISTRATA (1D), BECKET (3), NO MAN’S LAND (19), ORESTES (26) and ST JOAN (30) (‘Saint Joan’ in short form). RHINO (33) (‘Rhinoceros’ in short form) is to be shaded. First prize Mydrim Jones, London
The unclued lights (paired at 1D/17) can all be preceded by FIVE and are verifiable in Brewer. First prize Julian Connors, Ashford, Kent Runners-up David Threasher, London W5; Susan Bell, Reeth, N. Yorks
The unclued lights are the surnames of the ‘Queens of Crime’ and of their famous detectives: 1A/16, 19/15, 29/32 and 38/42. First prize G.R. Snailham, Windsor Runners-up Bill Ellison, Caversham, Reading; John and Di Lee, Axminster, Devon
The BOWLER (7) was DEREK (26) Underwood (synonym of COPSE (32)), nicknamed ‘Deadly’, who died on 15 April 2024. The four victims were MUSHTAQ MOHAMMAD, SUNIL GAVASKAR, GRAHAM DOWLING and GARRY SOBERS. First prize Robert Bailey, Norwich Runners-up Dorothy Mulvenna, Lancaster; Bill Stewart, Leicester
The unclued lights are SATELLITES of planets, listed on page 1860 of Chambers 13th Edition. First prize Mark Richardson, Exeter Runners-up Steven Lodge, Bridgwater, Somerset; Amanda Spielman, London SW4
Unclued lights are knots. First prize David Sparks, Basingstoke, Hampshire Runners-up Lynn Foreman, Sholing, Southampton ; Dennis Cotterell, Carlisle
As suggested by 23A’s quotation revealed at 34D/28A/19A, the perimeter contains six different sharks. First prize Janet Burke, Peterborough, Cambs Runners-up Roy Robinson, Sheffield; Neil Brenchley, Hogbens Hill, Selling, Kent
The unclued lights can be sorted into four trios of forenames in a reducing anagram chain: MONICA, NAOMI, MONA (4,31): DECLAN, LANCE, NEAL (12,24,36): SINEAD, DIANE, ENID (33,15,34) and ALISON, SONIA, SIAN (42,13). First prize E.C. Jones, Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire Runners-up Charles Barr, Norwich; Mike Brand, Edinburgh
The five unclued pairs were of the form ‘[as] X as Y’, 8/2 SAFE/HOUSES, 22/14 KEEN/MUSTARD, 35/20 BROAD/LONG, 41/33 NEAR/DAMMIT and 26/23 HARD/NAILS. First prize Sharon Harris, Hadlow, Tonbridge, Kent Runners-up Paul Davies, Reading, Berkshire; Amanda Gay, London NW11
