The unclued entries have something in common, and are the most recent of their type. One umlaut should be ignored in these entries, and elsewhere an accent. Across 1 Perhaps not swinging is sordid (5) 4 I might get candy floss. Like some chocolate? (9, two words) 10 State with importance line interrupts fluency
The unclued lights (one of two words) can be resolved into six pairs, in some way related. Ignore one acute accent. Across 11 Doc’s assistant possibly giving camper aid (9) 12 Peaceful girl, alluring one, topless, at end of promenade (5) 14 Old tub’s revolving cover (4) 15 Gun, for instance, made from macrame.
The unclued lights, including one of two words, are of a kind, all confirmed in Chambers. A further example (4) must be deleted from the final grid, leaving blank squares. New words thus created are real words. Across 1 Get dry people keeping dry home (6) 11 Getting makeover helps, i.e., for freckle (7)
The unclued lights (15 words in total) are to be arranged to provide a definition from Chambers of one of the normal clues which is NOT defined. Across 9 Worst of anything I kept in home (10) 14 Agreement apparently penniless lecturer returns (3) 16 Menus beginning with a cold collation – mostly spicy stuff
Eight unclued entries comprise four pairs whose thematic ordering is provided by 3, 31, 37 and 41. Across 1 Deft, dry in denial (5) 6 Bitter unit – British back in charge (7) 11 Criminal or liar with cult having three cells (10) 13 Distress furniture suitable for oils? (9) 15 Talks, say, regularly,
Unclued lights (including two of two words) suggest nine words (all in Chambers) starting with the same four-letter word that will appear diagonally in the completed grid and must be shaded. Across 1 A grass posing as gulfweed (8) 5 Dip in swirling river (3) 13 Oxford college with pool and some land (7)
The unclued lights and eight clued without thematic definition are of a kind, expressly confirmed in a section of Chambers. Across 4 Artisan on board, apparently (9) 9 Airline having to secure shopping accessory (10, two words) 11 Alton United seen regularly (5) 12 State loudly and close the innings (7) 14 It’s terrible
Doc writes: This is Columba’s last puzzle for The Spectator which we are pleased to publish now, three years after he retired from the series. One unclued light is the surname of the author of a novel whose title (two words) is hidden in the grid. Each word of this title has two synonyms among
Unclued lights are nine words taken from a poem whose first three words (as quoted in ODQ) will appear in the completed grid. The poet’s surname is a clued light and must be shaded. Surplus words in six clues are more words from the poem. Across 7 Monkey making glaring mistake (6) 11 Young
The (unrelated) unclued lights (one of three words, four of two words, (one with an apostrophe), one pair and two hyphened), can be arranged in ascending order with one appearing twice. Across 4 Fire extinguisher reveals bone and shoe (11, two words) 11 Cross-country for Porterfield’s team (7) 13 Ken’s forte amending binders? (9,
43 (two words) created 1A (four words) and 3 10 14 (seven words). The latter inspired 17 30, whose work introduced the egregious 18. Elsewhere, ignore one accent. Across 9 The first three letters of ‘skunk’ (4) 11 Duke ordering wild heroics (9, hyphened) 12 Beat wife and cover up (4) 15 Mark has no
41 (four words) suggests the other unclued lights – which are individual examples (not group names) of a kind – and how they must be entered in the grid. All answers are in Chambers. Across 8 American twice rejected West African (4) 11 Like some plants you’d set in cold ground without oxygen (14)
Clues lead to 5-letter solutions. Each set of ten clues is presented in alphabetical order of the solutions. Correct positioning in the grid of each set and the insertion of the appropriate letter in the central square will reveal six 11-letter words not otherwise clued. The 5-letter solutions to the four numbered clues are to
Unclued lights form a progressive set, plus the name of the speaker. Across 1 Talk shortly about present-day veg (7, two words) 6 Secure trim accessory (7, two words) 11 Harp on about poor child (6) 12 Sun already, so? It’s a feature of India (7) 14 Welshman and Scotsman clash over nymph (5)
Nine unclued lights (all real words) are the names of 35A with one letter misprinted. The correct letters match those that will appear in the shaded squares. Across 13 Plastic strap on spade? (10, two words) 14 Truly no rector is transparent (5) 15 Eucharist united a victim in pieces (8) 17 Polish glossy
The unclued lights are to be resolved into four (unrelated, non-thematic) phrases which share a common format. Across 12 Pope, maybe, as thespian turning in late in France (9, two words) 13 Pound fine imposed on Bill Stevenson (5) 15 Reserve WC in polar areas (9) 20 Cosseted artist in recording was dominant (7)
Eight unclued lights, arranged symmetrically, comprise two quartets, one of which makes the other go round. Across 1 How much poor Matthew has aged (14, three words) 11 What’s got blowers regularly engaged? (5) 13 Cheeky make-up (5) 14 Nothing fresh about first social reformer (7) 15 Some change local larder outside flat (10)
Six unclued lights (all real words) are the names of 35/26 minus one letter. The missing letters match those that will appear in the shaded squares. Across 1 Take in fire shoe for small firefighter? (11, two words) 7 Titian’s comb (3) 11 Bum governor newspaper backed (6) 15 Evil spirit with heart of
In this pangrammatical puzzle, the unclued lights are of a kind near 21A. Ignore all accents. Across 7 Fresh out of Pinewood (3) 11 Prisoner’s popular winning move (6) 13 Sympathy strike at the docks? (7) 15 All the monks in class (5) 17 Some reach a téléphérique in Alpine ski resort (6) 18
A 21-word exchange appears (apart from two words) in nine unclued entries. The other unclued entry specifies one of the participants. In ten clues the wordplay ignores one letter. These letters, in grid order, spell out the source of the exchange and of the original inspiration. Ignore three apostrophes in the completed puzzle. Across
