No, you can crop them. Just upload the full size "cropped" image. Don't resize them to 1280* or whatever. You images are fine.
All this means is that others in the group can then download a decent size copy of the image if they want to tweak it to show how they might improve the image.
The original idea with this group (of course there was only two of us, seems a little grand referring to it as a group!) was that we would have a reason to actually get out and take some shots but also that we should be commenting on and criticising others shots and offering help, sometimes the easiest way to do that is by re-editing the image.
As an example owz uploaded this image: http://www.23hq.com/photogroup/anobeithiol/photo/5362822
I adjusted it like this:
http://www.23hq.com/vortigern/photo/5365208
I could have said in a comment "I'd adjust the curves, lighten the pillars and boost the saturation in the greens and blues" but that does not help as much as seeing the finished result. And other than the obvious exposure problems I did not know what I would do to the image until I tried it.
I should have added what I had done to the image in a comment but as there was only owz and I in the group at that time and he was at my house that weekend I just showed him.
The other thing I should have done was make it obvious that it was not my image!
And when I suggest that it be a "rule" for that images be available for others to play with I really mean more like a default, if anyone wants to not do that then just make it known.
As an example where having a full size image is of little use:
http://www.23hq.com/photogroup/anobeithiol/photo/5380423
(sorry owz for using you as an example all the time! but you do have the most photos ;) )
This image has problems caused by the editing, to improve that it would be better to have the un-edited version.
I hope that clears things up rather than adding to the confusion but basically there are no rules and people should not be concerned whether something meets the theme or not, if you think it does, it does.
Finally try to "tag" the images with the theme, so in this case tag the images with "byways" (you have tagged yours by-ways", we should make it obvious what the tag is when we come up with the theme in future). This makes it easy to find all shots for the current or past themes.
Whew,
TLDR version: Just upload the images!
