Crossword solution

First prize Leigh Hughes, Bootle, Merseyside Runners-up Francis Wheen, Pleshey, Essex; Robin Jolly, Selsey, Chichester, West Sussex

Unclued lights are the many parts each man plays, from the ‘Seven ages’ speech by Jaques (29D) in As You Like It (2:7:139). First prize Andy Binstead, Stroud, Glos Runners-up Susan Hay, Perton, Wolverhampton; S.J.J. Tiffin, Cockermouth, Cumbria

The unclued lights and COMPOSERS (35A) are RIBBONS/Gibbons (1A), MAILER/Mahler (7), RAMEAN/Rameau (25), WANTON/Walton (26A), DELICES/Delibes (46), RAVENER/Tavener (1D), BELLING/Bellini (4), RAMPION/Campion (12), WRITTEN/Britten (26D). Title: cf. Charles-Marie WIDOR. First prize Peter Moody, Portchester, Hampshire Runners-up Alexander Caldin, Salford, Oxfordshire; Toby West-Taylor, Bristol

The unclued lights form a quartet of three-word terms, each of which has the letter count of (6,6,6) which is the ‘number of the Beast’: 21/45/35, 22/1A/23, 39/16/33 and 46/7/17. First prize Bridget Workman, Purley Runners-up Sebastian Robinson, Glasgow; Michael Fletcher, London E3

Unclued lights (PLAY, WITH, HOLD, DOWN) comprise components for the unclued cyclic sequence PLAY WITH, WITHHOLD, HOLD DOWN and DOWNPLAY. First prize William Orriel, Newton Abbot, Devon Runners-up Roger Baresel, London SW7; Emma Shearn, Mogadishu, Somalia

The six unclued lights and PLAYWRIGHTS (35/26) are FETCHER/Fletcher (13), CHILLER/Schiller (22), WESTER/Webster (34), MEANDER/Menander (38), PRIESTLY/Priestley (6) and COTEAU/Cocteau (12). Title: cf. Thornton WILDER. First prize Ronald Morton, Basingstoke, Hants Runners-up Emma Staveley, London E3; Peter Marginson, Wilmslow, Cheshire

The unclued lights are towns on Gozo (go + zo are defined in the puzzle’s title). Apologies that this crossword was misnumbered when it was set. Entries for both ‘2535’ and ‘2538’ — and combinations thereof — were included when the winners were picked. First prize Alan Connor, Kew Runners-up Jeannie Chamberlain, Rushden, Northants; Neil

The exchange that gave rise to the expression CURATE’s (19 Down) Egg was ‘I’m afraid you’ve got a bad egg, Mr Jones’, ‘Oh no, my Lord (puzzle’s title), I assure you, parts of it are excellent’, from a George du Maurier cartoon in Punch (1895), widely accepted to be based on a similar cartoon in

The NATIVITY (89) of the ACTOR (37) HUMPHREY BOGART (47/13), the singers ANNIE LENNOX (112/12) and IAN BOSTRIDGE (4/61), the prolific BAT (34) ALASTAIR COOK (124/119), the colourful writer QUENTIN CRISP (90/92), the outré TV star KENNY EVERETT (97D/82), the expert at ‘THE PLAYING OF THE MERRY ORGAN’ (16/6/38) ORLANDO GIBBONS (99/1), the film producer

The unclued lights (3 composers, 3 artists and 3 writers) are all buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery. The name should have a grave (accent), which is also thematic as it is a cemetery. First prize Miss Charlotte Bull, Leyton, London E11 Runners-up Mrs J. Warburton, Hertford; Prof. Colin Ratledge, Leven, E. Yorks

Each unclued lights include one letter three times. The wording of the preamble precludes ALLYLS (2D which would be the second plural) and IRITIC (an adjective). 29D can be either TANNIN or NANKIN. First prize Graeme Davies, Farndon, Newark Runners-up Stephen Saunders, Midford, Bath; Hugh Aplin, London SW19

The unclued lights are cricket fielding positions. The clues contain the names of 12 present and former England cricketers: Old, Such, Onions, Grace, Jones, Crawley, May, Prior, Wood, Stokes, Cook, Anderson. First prize Alan Pink, Crowhurst, East Sussex Runners-up Amanda Spielman, London SW4; Roger Vander Steen, Edinburgh

‘From harmony, from heavenly harmony, this universal frame began’ opens JOHN DRYDEN’s Song for ST CECILIA’S DAY (22 November, a Monday this year). HENRY PURCELL set it to music. First prize Hilary James, London W5 Runners-up Harry Duff, Llangynidr, Crickhowell, Powys; Ken Rae, Wadbister, Shetland

The unclued lights are TV detectives and their PATCH: 10/8, 13/5D, 15/39, 26/41, 36/33. First prize Emma Corke, Abinger Hammer, Surrey Runners-up John Gaymer, Effingham, Surrey; Magdalena Deptula, Eton, Berkshire

The unclued lights are VILLAINS encountered by James Bond. First prize Ian Skillen, Cambuslang, Glasgow Runners-up Liz Knights, Walton Highway, Cambs; Keith Williams, Kings Worthy, Winchester, Hants

The quotation is ‘LAUGH, AND THE WORLD LAUGHS WITH YOU; WEEP, AND YOU WEEP ALONE’ from Solitude by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. Her two unclued novels are SWEET DANGER (34/24) and A DOUBLE LIFE (3/29). ELLA (on the perimeter), WHEELER (12) and WILCOX (diagonally from 12) were to be shaded. First prize Roy Sharp, Kelburn, Wellington,

Each of the unclued lights can be preceded by OLD. First prize Heather McLaren, Seaford, East Sussex Runners-up Rupert Cousens, Oxford; Alan McLachlan, Aberdeen

The unclued lights are all phrases in Chambers meaning ‘HURRY UP — or No T(ime) to Lose’. First prize Andy Wallace, Ash Green, Coventry Runners-up Val Urquhart, Butcombe, Somerset; Chris Edwards, Pudsey, Leeds

The question posed by the song is 11A/ 22A/37A. Suggested by 37A, other unclued lights were anagrams of words meaning sailor: 17A – rating; 26A – mariner; 39A – shipmate; 10D – sea dog; 27D – lascar. First prize Ian Laming, Chippenham Runners-up Andrew Bell, Shrewsbury, Shropshire; Caroline Arms, Ithaca, NY

The unclued lights are preceded by ALL (with the title suggesting that ALL is to be omitted). The paired lights are 6/19 and 9/30. First prize Guy Taylor, London EC1 Runners-up Tony Alers-Hankey, London W4; Arabella Woodrow, Riddlesden, W. Yorks