Crossword solution

Solution to 2513: Golden anniversary

24 July 2021 9:00 am

The announcement reads: ‘Fifty years ago, on July the third, Jac’s first crossword in this series was published.’ The shaded…

2512: Impertinence - solution

17 July 2021 9:00 am

CHERRY, NETTLE, SMOKE, PLUM-PUDDING, BEES, EGG, SUNBEAM and WIND are the perimetric answers to riddles posed by NUTKIN in The…

2511: Changing places - solution

10 July 2021 9:00 am

The unclued lights form pairs of anagrams, one word in each pair being a place-name: 1A/6A, 1D/21, 6D/13, 11/38, 19/30…

2510: Prom session - solution

3 July 2021 9:00 am

Twelve symmetrically disposed unclued entries comprise three pairs of Spoonerisms (an anagram of the title): POURING RAIN/ROARING PAIN, FRYING PAN/PRYING…

2509: Current description - solution

26 June 2021 9:00 am

The perimeter quote is from ‘Ode to the West Wind’. The remaining unclued lights were the east wind (24A), south…

2508: Grovels - solution

19 June 2021 9:00 am

The unclued lights (including the pair at 24/28) are CHEESES. First prize Rhidian Llewellyn, London SW14 Runners-up H. Sarson, Guernsey,…

2507: Knightly? - solution

12 June 2021 9:00 am

The unclued lights are characters and places associated with King Arthur. First prize Belinda Bridgen, London NW8 Runners-up John Samson,…

2506: Summer’s voice - solution

5 June 2021 9:00 am

The unclued lights are ferns: RUSTY-BACK (26/5A), WALL RUE (48/7A), MAIDENHAIR (1D/11), OSMUNDA (18), BIRD’S-NEST (20/45) and POLYPODY (24). PTERIDOMANIA…

2505: Endgame - solution

29 May 2021 9:00 am

The unclued lights are the final headwords for B, D, E, F, S, T, U, W, as listed in Chambers.…

2504: Collectors’ Items - solution

22 May 2021 9:00 am

Unclued lights are nuts, as suggested in the perimetrical rhyme. First prize Adrian George, Barton under Needwood, Staffs Runners-up Willie…

2503: Applery - solution

15 May 2021 9:00 am

The traditional county towns were Chester (misprinted as CHEATER: 27), Durham (DERHAM: 21), Derby (DERRY: 32), Lewes (LENES: 36), Reading…

2502: Nay-sayers? - solution

8 May 2021 9:00 am

The unclued lights are HORSES. First prize Bob Toland, Ramsey, Cambs Runners-up Gareth Davies, Langstone, Gwent; Catherine Knox, London SW4…

2501: Delightful - solution

1 May 2021 9:00 am

The ‘Transport of Delight’, in the song by Flanders and Swann, was that ‘big six-wheeler, scarlet-painted, diesel-engined, London Transport, ninety-seven…

2500: 50 x 50 - solution

24 April 2021 9:00 am

The solution grid includes the letter L fifty times (L x 50 = 2500). Coincidentally, Doc and his wife, Jean,…

2499: Entitled trio - solution

17 April 2021 9:00 am

The theme was C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. 38A (of Scotland), 43A and 22D were all…

2498: Cross-country - solution

10 April 2021 9:00 am

The unclued lights consist of the names of two countries overlapping by two or three letters: eg 25D ‘JAPANAMA’ gives…

2497: Scramble - solution

3 April 2021 9:00 am

Six of the unclued lights are RAF stations of WW2. First prize Kathleen Durber, Stoke-on-Trent Runners-up Alison Gillam, Knotty Green,…

2496: Depart Paddington - solution

27 March 2021 9:00 am

The play was The Winter’s Tale by Shakespeare. The perimetric dramatis personae are MAMILLIUS, LEONTES, FLORIZEL, DORCAS, MOPSA, HERMIONE and…

2495: Contrary - solution

20 March 2021 9:00 am

Four unclued lights are places in Britain with MARY in their name. The remaining unclued lights can be linked with…

2494: Back to front - solution

13 March 2021 9:00 am

Unclued lights are from the ‘Looking Glass’ poem Jabberwocky. First prize Alison Peck, Mathry, PembrokeshireRunners-up Patricia Gibbs, Barrow upon Soar,…

2493: Opposites - solution

6 March 2021 9:00 am

‘I WANT TO BE ALONE’ (1A) and ‘COME UP AND SEE ME SOMETIME’ (49/27) were supposedly said by Greta GARBO…

2492: Little man - solution

27 February 2021 9:00 am

The solution at 1 Across includes the theme-word PAUL which means ‘little’, hence the puzzle’s title. First prize Mike Leese,…

2491: Recycling - solution

20 February 2021 9:00 am

The ten unclued lights comprise the seven primary Wombles, best known for their recycling of objects found on Wimbledon Common.…

2490: Arrangement - solution

13 February 2021 9:00 am

Suggested by 30 (IKEBANA, or flower arranging), the unclued lights were all anagrams of flowers: 1A gardenia; 18 rose; 22…

2489: Fade away - solution

6 February 2021 9:00 am

All the unclued lights can be linked with PETER, 35/38 is the paired solution. First prize Gerry Fairweather, Layer Marney,…