Crossword solution

2674: New crop – solution

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

2673: All Saints – solution

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

2672: Seamless Schemes – solution

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

2671: Canned madras – solution

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

2670: V – solution

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

2669: Partners in Crime – solution

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

2668: Obit VII – solution

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

2667: Orbital – solution

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

2665: Killer instinct – solution

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  

2664: First name terms – solution

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

2663: CTRL+SHIFT+S – solution

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

2662: OOVIIXVII – Solution

Seven unclued lights, MOORE, CONNERY, LAZENBY, NIVEN, DALTON, BROSNAN, CRAIG, are the names of actors who played the eighth one, BOND, in films. The title, translated from Latin, reads ‘007 x 7’. First prize Louise Rhind-Tutt, Glossop, Derbyshire Runners-up A. Tucker, Winchester, Hants; Roger Baresel, London SW7

2661: Spectrum – solution

The unclued lights are French words or phrases which include a colour: 2, 10/32, 21A/7D, 21D, 28/8, 36/11, 37/8 and 38/15. Bleu at 8 does double duty, and ‘noir’ and ‘noire’ are the two forms. First prize Jeremiah Carter, Cambridge Runners-up Ian MacDonald, East Grinstead, W Sussex; C.R. Haigh, Hassocks, W. Sussex

2600: Walsall winters – solution

Emily Brontë’s poem ‘Remembrance’ includes: ‘Cold in the earth – and fifteen wild Decembers, From those brown hills, have melted into spring.’ Brownhills is a town in the borough of Walsall, hence the title. First prize Anne Greenwood and Martin Plews, Horsham, W. Sussex Runners-up Ian Laming, Chippenham; Neville Twickel, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire

2657: Out the back – solution

The book is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. LEWIS, whose name appears diagonally starting at the C in 5 down. First prize Adelia Tisdall, Norwich, Norfolk Runners-up H. Sims, Rivington, Bolton; Wyn Lewis, Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire

2656: A la carte – solution

The unclued lights formed a map of France, with nine cities in roughly appropriate places. First prize Clive Rose, Henley on Thames, Oxon Runners-up Tim Locke, Ainsdale, Southport; Belinda Bridgen, London NW8

2655: Primacy – solution

The unclued lights are ten recent Archbishops of Canterbury, with 7D being the solution of two words. First prize Alana Thompson, Dumfries Runners-up Julian Downton, Bucks Cross, Devon; Clive West, Old Windsor, Berkshire