The unclued lights are FRENCH DÉPARTEMENTS, with five of them placed in the grid at their correct administrative number: 2, 3, 25, 36, and 39. First prize Gordon Hobbs, Woodford Green, Essex Runners-up Rowan Priestman, Burpham, Guildford; J. Caldwell, Winster, Windermere
The PROVERB (35) (in ODQ), associated with the KENNEDY (19) FAMILY (31), was ‘A rising tide lifts all boats’. EDIT (36) is ‘A rising tide’. WORT (9), POOLS (15D), BUT (21D), GUT (26) and LEEK (39) are ‘lifted’ boats. EDIT was to be shaded. First prize V. Kendall, Ware, Herts Runners-up Geoffrey Telfer, Shipley, W.
GRASSHOPPERS (9) of ZURICH (30) is a team that plays football — not cricket, as indicated by corrections of misprints in clues. Other unclued lights are related STRIDULATING INSECTS (13 28). First prize R.C. Teuton, Frampton Cotterell, South Glos Runners-up N.J. Smithies, Guernsey; Charles McCulloch, Temple, London
The word pyramid runs from CAN at 7A, then 35, 36, 30, 5, 2, 21D, 19 to CONSIDERATE at 1A. First prize John Sparrow, Padbury, Bucks Runners-up Andreas Fabian, Dunsden, Oxon; John Newell, Kingston upon Thames
X was Ingrid Bergman, winner of a TERN (21) of OSCARs (8), who was born on 29th August 1915 and died on her 67th birthday. She appeared in MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (O), ANASTASIA (O), FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS (perimeter) and GASLIGHT (O) (29). 15, 16 and 23 were to be shaded. Title: Casablanca.
1D, 3, 15D and 40 are fictional TIGERS (30) created by 20, 35, 4A and 12. Extra letters in clues form the thematically allusive statement high risk pets emerge in reports, supplying unchecked letters of the unclued lights. First prize Patricia Gibbs, Barrow-upon-Soar, Leicestershire Runners-up E. Hogg, London SW13; Philip Hawkins, Wirksworth, Matlock, Derbyshire
The unclued lights (paired at 14/38. 23/17 and 34/2) are SPECTATOR journalists or contributors. First prize Dr David Jerwood, Keighley, W. Yorkshire Runners-up Michael Moran, Penrith, Cumbria; Trevor Evans, Drulingen, France
Edmund Clerihew Bentley wrote: The art of Biography/ Is different from Geography/ Geography is about maps/ But Biography is about chaps. First prize Val Urquhart, Butcombe, Somerset Runners-up A. Mulholland, Nottingham; Phillip Wickens, Horsham, West Sussex
TOO-TOO is a HOMOPHONE (38) of TUTU (defined by 1A and 8, and the surname of 17, the former 11 of 25). The highlighted words, both starting at 22, combine to form a homophonous representation of the puzzle’s number. First prize Michael Grocott, Loughborough, Leics Runners-up Brenda Widger, Altrincham, Cheshire; F. Khaya, New South Wales,
The unclued lights are heraldic terms. First prize Simon Horobin, Kidlington, Oxon Runners-up Mick O’Halloran, Dunsborough, Australia; John Roberts, Cheltenham, Glos
The Poem was ‘Kubla Khan’ by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. 3A, 23, 42, 43, 3D, 4, 10 and 16 are words from the poem. KUBLA KHAN appears in the twelfth row. COLE (1A) and RIDGE (24) were to be shaded. First prize James Long, Richmond, Surrey Runners-up John Fahy, Thaxted, Essex; John Honey, London W13
Unclued lights complete the titles of Carry On films. First prize Tony Hankey, London W4 Runners-up Mark Roberts, Hostert, Luxembourg; Tony Dew, London SW13
The unclued lights are all preceded by GREAT to form the phrases that can be confirmed in Brewer. (The clue at 40A suggests GREATEST LIE, also listed in Brewer). First prize Leslie Mustoe, Hitchin, Hertfordshire Runners-up Rhiannon Hales, Ilfracombe, Devon; Andrew Vernalls, Milton Common, Thame, Oxfordshire
The poem was Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats. 1A, 16, 21A, 30, 38, 8, 13, 27, 29 and 35 all appear in it. A GRECIAN URN appears diagonally from 9. STEAK (39) was to be shaded. First prize Sid Field, Stockton-on-Tees Runners-up M. O’Hanlon, North Berwick, Scotland; Hugh Schofield, Paris
Films starring AUDREY HEPBURN (4 29) include MY FAIR LADY, BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S, SABRINA FAIR and ROMAN HOLIDAY in the perimeter, and (defined by the puzzle’s title) CHARADE. First prize Ray Nolan, Droylsden, Manchester Runners-up Sandra Speak, Dursley, Glos; Stephen Saunders, Midford, Bath
The unclued lights include at least four Os (IV Os), and other clued solutions contain two or three. OROONOKO at 6D is the novel and has five Os. First prize David Warren, Gorey, Co. Wexford Runners-up J.E. Pugh, Cardiff; S.J.J. Tiffin, Cockermouth, Cumbria
The theme word is CLIMBER. All unclued lights are therefore entered going upwards. There are three different types of climbers: plants (1, 8 and 22), mountaineers (4 and 27) and social climbers (14 and 18). First prize Andreas Fabian, Dunsden, Oxon Runners-up Hugh Aplin, London SW19; Sandra Speak, Dursley, Glos
The unclued Down lights are books, entered in reverse as indicated by the phrase TURN-UP FOR THE BOOKS (1A 27 28 43). First prize Daniel Angel, Twickenham, Middlesex Runners-up Rhidian Llewellyn, Minchinhampton, Glos; Jacqui Sohn, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
The unclued Across lights (15, 23/21, 38 and 39) are LITERAL anagrams of the unclued Down lights (3, 19, 32/37, 2) First prize Anthony Harker, Oxford Runners-up E.A. Wright, Fleetwood, Lancs; K.J. Williams, Kings Worthy, Hants
‘THE OLD ORDER CHANGETH YIELDING PLACE TO NEW’, from Tennyson’s IDYLLS OF THE KING, suggests the outcome of ANAGRAMMATISM (2). ALFRED LORD TENNYSON is an anagram of 9/20/22/38. Title: anagram of THE OLD ORDER. First prize Michael Smith, Aldershot, Hants Runners-up Dr J.A. McClellan, Portsmouth, Hants; A.C.R. Bull, Canterbury, Kent
