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
Each of the six unclued pairs comprises words differing by a single change of ‘a-to-m’. First prize Patrick Holland, Shrewsbury Runners-up R.J. Green, Llangynidr, Crickhowell; Janet Hill, Eastbourne, E. Sussex
The unclued lights are synonyms for GOSSIP, as Brewer confirms. First prize Joanne Aston, Norby, Thirsk Runners-up Malcolm Taylor, Eskbank, Midlothian; Roderick Rhodes, oldsborough, N. Yorks
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
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
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
The eight unclued lights are names of Roman emperors. The puzzle’s title refers to the period 14-222 AD covered by the eight reigns. First prize Michael Crapper, Whitchurch, Hants Runners-up Peter Moody, Fareham, Hants; Mark Steele, Hatfield, Doncaster
The twelve symmetrically placed unclued entries NATURAL, MAIL, MONASTIC, STANDING, PECK, LOGICAL, BATTING, APPLE-PIE, OPEN, EVICTION, BANKERS and SIDE can precede the word ORDER, and the title alluded to an ‘A to Z’. Thus unclued entries had to be entered in alphabetical order. First prize Seonaid Chapman, Brampton, Cumberland Runners-up Peter Lawrence, Durham; Julie Sanders,
The unclued Across lights are makes of AUSTIN (in yellow) cars and the unclued Down lights are MORRIS (in red) cars, hence A and M in the title. First prize Chris Taylor, Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire Runners-up Sara MacIntosh, Darlington; Stephen Smith, Messing, Essex
The Turner works were RAIN STEAM AND SPEED (5,44) and THE SLAVE SHIP (35), the Ruskin works MODERN PAINTERS (16,9) and UNTO THIS LAST (18) First prize Geran Jones, Bromley Runners-up Nigel Finlay, Thames Ditton, Surrey; Michael Debenham, Shrewsbury
Santayana said ‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’ First prize Magdalena Deptula, Eton, Berks Runners-up Jim Knox, Beaconsfield, Bucks; Simon Purves, London N6
The unclued lights, with the pairs at 1D/18, 17/6A and 26D/5, are stores which are no longer trading. First prize George Kingston, Sutton under Brailes, Oxon Runners-up Mrs J. Smith, Beeston, Kings Lynn, Norfolk; C. Stafford and F. Daniels, Cremorne, NSW, Australia
The eight unclued lights are all kinds of soup: COCK-A-LEEKIE (1A), SHCHI (21A) , PHO (40A), VICHYSSOISE (41A), CONSOMME (2D), MULLIGATAWNY (14D), MINESTRONE (19D) and PISTOU (25D). The puzzle’s title cryptically indicates the subject: ‘thus’ = SO, ‘at an end’= UP. First prize Tessa Ferguson, Bath Runners-up William Orriel, Newton Abbot, Devon; Gerry Fairweather, Layer Marney,
The theme word is MARCH. The examples are CROWN IMPERIAL (1A/22) and COLONEL BOGEY (26/33). The March sisters from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth, appear in SOJOURN (12), OMEGA (34A), CRYPTOGAMY (10) and BETHINK (28). ALCOTT (in the third column) is to be shaded. Title: (pabulu)M + arch (defined).
The unclued lights were the cooks known as the TWO FAT LADIES at 18/2 who were 25/8 and 29A/38/3) and the HAIRY BIKERS at 14/3 who are/were 31 and ‘In memoriam’ 26/10. First prize R.A. Percy, Southport, North Carolina, USA Runners-up Peter Tanner, Hertford; James Bristol, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Unclued lights were characters in DAD’S ARMY which was set in WALMINGTON-ON-SEA. First prize John and Di Lee, Axminster, Devon Runners-up Andrew Garth, Ley Hill, Buckinghamshire; Val Urquhart, Butcombe, Somerset
Twelve unclued entries comprise six ‘joined’ pairs which are symmetrically placed in the grid: FLESH & BLOOD, CHEAP & NASTY, TIME & TIDE, SLINGS & ARROWS, ALPHA & OMEGA and WEAR & TEAR. First prize George Walker, Romiley, Stockport Runners-up Susan Hay, Perton, Wolverhampton; Jake Mermagen, Conches, Geneva
The chain of words is ITS (7A), SITE (35), INSET (37), STRINE (20), ENTRIES (5), RESIDENT (24), DESERTING (21D), DENIGRATES (1D), NEAR-SIGHTED (41). First prize Angela Hales, Callow End, Worcester Runners-up A Weir, Broughty Ferry, Dundee; Major Gen A.I. Ramsay, Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hampshire
The unclued lights (with 38/20 paired) can all mean ‘nothing’, as does the word ‘cipher’. First prize Rebecca Clark, Geldeston, Beccles, Suffolk Runners-up Martin Dey, Hoylandswaine, Sheffield; D.V. Jones, Llanfair Caereinion, Powys
Leonardo da Vinci (29/28) painted ‘Vitruvian Man’ (3A), ‘The Last Supper’ (1D), ‘Salvator Mundi’ (13D) and his masterpiece ‘Mona Lisa’(38/37). First prize Chris Edwards, Pudsey, Leeds Runners-up Hugh Green, Petersfield, Hampshire; Trish Baldwin, Chorley, Lancashire
