Crossword solution
to 2289: I don’t believe it!
The unclued lights are expressions meaning NEVER (3A, 4D+43A, 21D+14D, 37A+1D and 37A+15D). First prize Hilary James, London W5Runners-up David…
to 2288: Housey-housey
Unclued lights are names of PARLIAMENTS. First prize Judith Bevis, NewportRunners-up Hilda Ball, Belfast; Michael Grocott, Loughborough Got something to…
to 2287: Quarry
Unclued lights are types of LIMESTONE. First prize Frances Whitehead, Harrogate, North YorksRunners-up Margaret Almond, Sholing, Hants; P.D.H. Riddell, London…
to 2286: B
The unclued lights are provinces or areas of BELGIUM. First prize C.R. Haigh, Hassocks, West SussexRunners-up Frank McDonald, Carron, Falkirk;…
to 2285: Characterful
The theme word was China, the Mandarin Chinese word for which is Zhongguo (the pinyin transliteration of 中国). Unclued lights…
to 2284: Shocking!
In PYGMALION (21D), ELIZA (32) said NOT BLOODY LIKELY! (7A/9/12). Synonyms were NEGATIVE (24), RARE (35), ODDS-ON (20). GB SHAW…
to 2283: be damned
The unclued lights are PUBLISHING FIRMS. Our apologies for the omission of clue 42 Across. It went missing during the…
to 2282: Timely
The perimetric quotation (referring to October), AMBIGUOUS MONTH, THE MONTH OF TENSION, THE UNENDURABLE MONTH’, is followed by DL, the initials…
to 2281: Fail
Extra letters in clues form the phrase BITE THE DUST. Thematically created entries at 10, 11, 19, 29 and 34…
to 2280: Acorns
The unclued lights are famous British OAK trees. First prize Gerry Fairweather, Layer Marney, Essex Runners-up Mrs L. Ashley, Shoreham-by-Sea,…
to 2279: Where it’s at II
The name was The Spectator. THESP (SARAH BERNHARDT: 37/19), EC (EAST CENTRAL: 36/20), TAT (HEMPEN MATTING: 5/15) and OR (LOGIC…
to 2278: Will Alterations
Concealed Shakespearean characters were Rivers, Celia, Celia (again), Hamlet, Costard, Polonius, Snug, Hero, Gallus, Martius, Pistol, Collatine (The Rape of…
2277: Royalty
The theme word is KING and the pairs are 4/41, 14/1A, 19/27, 34/16 and 38/24. First prize C.V. Clark, London…
to 2276: Iron Man
Clues with misprints were 16, 22, 24 and 34 Across and 2, 3, 6, 26, 31 and 36 Down. Corrections…
to 2275: Frame of reference
Corrections of misprints in clues give CHAMBERS DICTIONARY, defining the items in the perimeter. First prize David Heath, Euston, Newark…
to 2274: round and round
The unclued lights are stations of the London Underground CIRCLE Line. BAYSWATER is the paired theme-word. Solvers had to highlight…
to 2273: Numbers
Round the perimeter run the titles of three songs from the musical Guys and Dolls, epitomised by SKY (28) Masterson…
to 2272: Holiday time
21 and 41 are definitions of SUMMER; RECESS defines each of the other unclued lights. First prize Rhiannon Hales, Ilfracombe,…
to 2271: I’m not here or there
All but one of the unclued lights can be preceded by DOCTOR (or in one case DOC). The title also…
to 2270: Hard
Seven unclued lights were names of VERSE-MEN (22) minus one letter: VI(R)GIL (1A), BRO(O)KE (15A), BRID(G)ES (16), DON(N)E (9), S(P)ENDER…
to 2269: Humiliation
Answers to clues in italics are Clockwise (16), mondial (25), smugly (26), mushroomed (15) and pantable (32), each of which…
To 2268: In state
The unclued lights are US STATE CAPITALS. First prize Stewart Jones, Winchester, Hants Runners-up John M. Brown, Rolleston-on-Dove, Staffs; Gareth…
2267: Double-edged Swords
The unclued lights are anagrams of words meaning ‘blessing’, hence 43A MIXED BLESSINGS. The words are 11A AGREEMENT, 31A BENISON, 34A…
To 2266: 587
Associations with adjectives are ALL RIGHT (16), BRIGHT LIGHTS (40), BEAUTIFUL DREAMER (31), GREAT DANE (42), and SMALL BEER (4). The…
To 2265: POURING
The unclued lights Across are CATS and the unclued lights Down are DOGS. First prize John Kitchen, Breachwood Green, HertsRunners-up…
