Crossword solution

Five unclued lights are titles of RAGS (24) by SCOTT JOPLIN (32 31), who died on 1 April 1917.   First prize Jenni Aldridge, Saffron Walden, Essex Runners-up Steve Reszetniak, Margate, Kent; Roger Theobald, Laverstock, Salisbury

The twelve undefined solutions become one Scottish and eleven English towns, if the final letter is omitted or a letter is added at the start. First prize Pamela Moorey, London EC1 Runners-up Glyn Watkins, Portishead, Bristol Lowri Williams, Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent

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. Threasher, Winscombe, Somerset; Ben Stephenson, London SW12

Extra letters in clues give CONSTABLES, defining 7, 21 and 39. Other unclued lights are CONS (12, 16, 18) and TABLES (9, 20, 30).   First prize Roland Rance, London E17 Runners-up Nigel Dobbs, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim; Ian Shiels, Bramley, Leeds

The unclued lights, including 28/3 in its English translation, are compositions by Carl Nielsen, (i.e. pieces of 8 Down).   First prize K.J. Williams, Kings Worthy, Winchester Runners-up Roderick Rhodes, Goldsborough, North Yorkshire; Megan Warburton, Walthamstow, East London

The unclued lights are titles of Russian novels minus their ‘and’ (И in Russian): 17 CRIME and 9 PUNISHMENT (Dostoevsky), 40 WAR and 34 PEACE (Tolstoy), 22 FATHERS and 8 SONS (Turgenev), and 10 THE MASTER and 11 MARGARITA (Bulgakov).   First prize Mrs G. Hancock, Thornbury, Bristol Runners-up Philip Dacre, York; Tom Richards, Wolfscastle,

Corrections of misprints in clues give INSIDE OUT. Thematic entries at 2, 15A, 25, 30 and 39 are defined by 5, 28, 11, 21 and 12.   First prize Belinda Bridgen, London NW8 Runners-up S.J.J. Tiffin, Cockermouth, Cumbria; Tim Hanks, Douglas, Isle of Man

The unclued lights are seven COMPOSERS whose surnames begin with A to G, along with the eighth beginning with H, which is B natural in German notation.   First prize Oliver Miles, Oxford Runners-up Miriam Moran, Pangbourne, Berks Tom Eadon, Melton Mowbray, Leicsa

The shared name was PERRY (18), shared by GRAYSON (28) Perry and Perry MASON (2). GP, whose alter ego is CLAIRE (3), is a TURNER (32) Prize winner. PM is a lawyer created by Erle Stanley GARDNER (27); Della STREET (10) is PM’s secretary and Paul DRAKE (37) is his private investigator. PERRY was to

Perimeter words are names of the most recent GEOLOGICAL PERIODS.   First prize J.P Green, Uppingham, Rutland Runners-up Paul Jenkinson, Zollikon, Switzerland; Sebastian Robinson, Glasgow.

The unclued lights are items of headgear.   First prize Tony Watson, Twyford, Berkshire Runners-up Philip Berridge, Spalding, Lincolnshire; R.C. Teuton, Frampton Cotterell, Bristol

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. West, Birmingham; Christine Twickel, Tidmington, Shipston-on-Stour

Bill Shankly said: ‘Some people think football is a matter of life and death … ( I can assure them it is much more serious than that)’. The unclued letters in the grid spell LIFE AND if read downwards row by row, and ANFIELD if read across column by column.   First prize Sandra Peterkin,

Perimetric trios combine to suggest HOG/MAN/AY: SHILLING, MALE, INDEED; SWINE, ATTENDANT, YES; MOUND, EMPLOYEE, EVER. The relevant activity is FIRST-FOOTING (35/25/16) and the relevant name is SYLVESTER (11).   First prize Helen Hinder, Knaphill, Surrey Runners-up Mrs J. Smith, Beeston, Norfolk; Bill Stewart, Leicester

THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER (99) and IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (20) – whose DIRECTORS (37) were ERNST LUBITSCH (61) and FRANK CAPRA (35D) – are FILMS (53) in which the ACTOR (78) playing the CHARACTERS (68D) of ALFRED KRALIK (79) and GEORGE BAILEY (45) is JAMES STEWART (1A 5A). One film’s title suggests the

The unclued lights are expressions meaning NEVER (3A, 4D+43A, 21D+14D, 37A+1D and 37A+15D).   First prize Hilary James, London W5 Runners-up David Henderson, Almonte, Ontario; A.H. Harker, Oxford

Unclued lights are names of PARLIAMENTS.   First prize Judith Bevis, Newport Runners-up Hilda Ball, Belfast; Michael Grocott, Loughborough

Unclued lights are types of LIMESTONE. First prize Frances Whitehead, Harrogate, North Yorks Runners-up Margaret Almond, Sholing, Hants; P.D.H. Riddell, London SE23

The unclued lights are provinces or areas of BELGIUM.   First prize C.R. Haigh, Hassocks, West Sussex Runners-up Frank McDonald, Carron, Falkirk; I. Lyttle, Armagh

The theme word was China, the Mandarin Chinese word for which is Zhongguo (the pinyin transliteration of 中国). Unclued lights were Chinese cities (34A, 3D, 30D), types of china (16A, 30A, 9D) and words meaning ‘friend’ (2D, 37D, 38D).   First prize Janet Fletcher, Johnstone, Renfrewshire Runners-up Virginia Porter, Gwaelod-y-Garth, Cardiff; Ernie Morrison, Coleraine, Co.