Lavatch

2642: A cipher to decode

The unclued lights (including one of three words, one of two words, two hyphened and one pair) have nothing in common. Across 11    Get sober people welcoming sober person home (6) 12    Litotes newspaper plugs seem so funny (7) 15    Poser’s strain (6) 18    Distributed case for delicate key (5) 19    Engineers, mature but not

2593: Capital Development

Six unclued lights (one of two words) are of a kind. The remaining three must be filled to display what connects the original six (13, two words). Across 12    Old Rodin bust covered? (6)13    Goal to mingle with rich ruler (8)14    Horns from my province (5)16    Reply from setter breaking lance (6)19    E.g. Macron’s cheek,

2638: Capital fellow

Unclued lights (including one pair giving a name, and one of three words from a quotation) form three groups; the word that links them all must be highlighted in the grid.         Across    1    Make bourgeois rogue grin, yet to embrace female (8)    8    Small cover for head or neck (4) 11    A

2632: Troublesome situation

Unclued lights (including one hyphened) are of a kind. The theme word must be highlighted in the grid. Across 1    Require clothing true eccentric altered (8) 8    Axes reportedly in bags (4) 11    Anything mischievous gets uncovered (5) 13    Sadly hugging Romeo, starts to offer love and pines (7) 14    Roman scholar in V&A takes

2629: Urban renewal

Unclued lights, including one of two words, are anagrams of words of a kind. Solvers must highlight two pairs of clued answers which are anagrams of two further examples.         Across    1    Recited end of epic with ghosts (8)    8    Special forces protecting large trees (4) 11    Oddly, Ivor ain’t a Welshman (4)

2620: The right name?

Paired unclued lights are an author and his eponymous characters. Crossing letters in 7D suggest the name in the title; solvers must correct this, entering the character’s real name by changing the contents of four cells, always making real words.         Across    1    A mob alas with disorder of gut (8) 11    I head

2614: Monkey business

Unclued lights (one of three words and one of two words, singly or paired) form three groups. Group 1 is three words of a kind; group 2 is two names and a title; group 3 is a name and part of a title. The word that links them must be highlighted in the grid.         Across    8   

2611: On-board entertainment

Unclued lights are all of a kind. The most recent addition to the group must be highlighted in the completed grid. Across 8    Black swan leads gull (4) 11    Jack holds irrational animal (5) 13    Politician hosts old leader – he has a shock (7) 14    Little US weakling (5) 17    Extremely agile, running for

Solution to 2599: Slow to Change

The proverb reads ‘A lie will go round the world while truth is pulling its boots on’ (19/7/29/1D/8/10) by C.H. Spurgeon. The unclued lights at 13, 38 and 39 are BOOTS. First prize Janet Burke, Peterborough Runners-up Geoff Lee, London N1, Alan Connor, Kew, Twickenham

2602: Rolling Stones

Three unclued lights are a musician (two words) and a quotation of his (four words), which suggests the other six unclued lights, all anagrams of words of a kind (one of two words).  Across 8 Delaying intro, ace ruler (4) 11 Posh earl pokes you abroad in part of eye (6) 12 Bill eating corn

Birthday Boy

Two unclued lights are a title (three words) and its creator (two words). Remaining unclued lights are four names and eight titles (either singly or paired, including two each of two, three and four words and one of five words), each name being associated with two of the titles. The theme word connecting them all

2581: In the balance

The unclued lights are three sets of three words of a kind, all linked by a theme word represented by one clued answer which must be highlighted.         Across    1    Where pupils are receiving gentle hugs (8)    8    Finished structure erected in triumph (4) 11    Goal to renovate new hotel figures in Levantine

2572: Blown up

Around the perimeter, beginning at square 1, is a line of poetry (seven words, in ODQ) followed by the title of the poem (six words; one abbreviated word in the original title must be written out in full). Remaining unclued lights are of a kind, suggested by the quotation.   Across 11 Drug ring spread

2563: Areas for development

11 Across (two words) suggests the other unclued lights, which are all one-word anagrams of words of a kind (one of two words). Across 1 More mawkish sot that is hugged by sister (8) 8 They may be catching insects (4) 12 Indian manager’s hesitation, in trouble (5) 14 Like a diplomat dancing one-step (7,

2554: Going, going…

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)

2545: With a twist

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)

2536: At rest

Unclued lights are three sets of three words of a kind, along with a name which connects them all (two words). Something that this name should possess (5), which is also a thematic item, must be highlighted in the completed grid.   Across 1 Always bored by job, like rebellion (8) 8 Dancing girls wanting

2527: The main dilemma

Three unclued lights together form an eight-word question from a well-known song. The song’s protagonist suggests the other five unclued lights (including one hyphened), which are anagrams of words of a kind (including one of two words), all confirmed by Chambers.   Across 1 Spectre behind paper awning (8) 8 Fellow enters Washington Democratic Party

2518: Make a run for it?

11 Across (three words) is a phrase suggested by the puzzle’s title explaining how to arrive at the other unclued lights, which are anagrams of words of a kind, all confirmed in Chambers (including two less common spellings). Across 1 Beaten up coin is showing heraldic beast (8) 8 Some stuff is crammed in purse

2509: Current description

A six-word ‘current description’ (in ODQ) and the name of the author (three words) run clockwise round the perimeter starting in the top left-hand corner. Four other unclued lights are of a kind, and solvers must highlight the one suggested by the quotation.   Across 11 Deposit with variable returns for figure (4) 12 Silly