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GRAHAM'S PORT

GRAHAM'S

PORT

CROSSWORD Decorations, by Columba

A first prize of £100, three prizes of £25 and six further prizes of The Spectator Annual (published by John Murray, £19.99) will be awarded for the first correct solutions opened on 9 January. The first four prizewinners will, in addition, each receive a bottle of Graham's Malvedos 1979 Vintage Port. Entries to: Christmas Crossword, The Spectator, 56 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LL.

ACROSS 11 Gives wrong part to girl seizing chance (8) 16 Fled early English queen (5) 19 Cupid, note, in a legend (8) 20 Ideally I'm in credit after work (9) 23 Criticise fiddler? (4) 24 Yarn of doctor, old type (6) 25 Fireballs leave such indicators about monster speed (13, two words) 26 Shrewd traps e.g. led astray Jacobites (9, two words) 27 Spirits, strange sorts (4) 30 Bird 'orde, abundant (7) 31 Praise wide round alien circles (5) 34 Goodwill to all men, love bein' once rendered (15) 36 Camp having convict? (5) 41 Crazes for sure! (7) 43 Important people drove crock (8) 44 Nobody admits he's a wretched toy to be fired (10) 46 Say over in drink: `I found 65' (8) 47 Dash past glittering ornament (5) 48 Old league's seen in New Year (5) 49 Soft heart of Manon that's breaking fast (7) 50 Crackers hid nice royal motto (7, two words) 53 Watch psychic power — unknown quantity (4) 58 Harass during party (6) 60 Starts to add 35A on evergreen tree (4) 62 Parliament? Silly kids in scrap (7) 64 Deny profits, alas (7) 69 Canine, manic in capering — `barky'? (8) 70 Festivities past, threshold's covered with jars (10) 71 Lifted slyly a pure ruby? (8) 72 Hail to lash round ragged elm (7, two words) 80 Jock's heifer has name Lassie? (5) 81 Plant for meal (6) 82 I'm carving out arc at sea? (15) 84 Endless gourd playing involves one? (5) 86 Piece-work, say, casing sodium and zinc (7) 87 Mr Scrooge hated revellers' ideas initially (4) 88 What's leader in Games worn, having made running to line? (9, two words) 90 Bet chap tilted wildly in violent clash (13, two words) 92 About salting? Old cure (6) 93 Attention — quiet lawman (4) 94 Column-ringed court, 59 kind (9) 95 Choose odd alloy (8)

96 Stop Anne mixing carbohydrate (8)

98 Deferring opinion about US power (8) 99 Assume cask holds money — in East it's a power aid (12, hyphened) DOWN I Foremost of yolk's women's in set of ours (6) 2 Fruit, Italian island form (8) 4 Child? Male one, King (4) 5 Row of three Magi wandering hot

The decorations comprise: three 59 35A (one of two words); two 97 38 (triads of consecutive items); an three 65 (one hyphened). The title's components also suggest 9 17; these, if of the 66-52 variety on 3 Ong words), will follow the 81D. Elsewhere ignore two accents.

Name Address deserts (8)

6 Tussle basically upholds colours (7 7 Sla)

tes in swell housing measures (8, two words) 8 Star ace, right in plane (8) 10 Times like Hogmanay? Yes, with tears (8, hyphened) 12 Elf and troll advance (7) 13 Celt rambles round hill over lichen (7) 15 Crabs, sea's horde in tangle (9) 18 Ballet move has learner in confusion (4) 22 Case of private tuition (4) 28 Seasons full of fit rodents (9) 32 Tribes vote and hold. S. Africa (5) The solution to Crossword 1187 is on page 101 33 Spenser's wearied character accepts raised rank (7, hyphened) 35 Fold mag in rag (6) 37 Troy has prophet about to con (5) 39 Epeira one's found in field (6) 40 Box of stock, European (4) 42 In us you'll turn 180° (4) 46 Howls at literary renown (4) 48 Journal, record with edge father made up (9) 51 Cold onions in hampers (6) 54 Some vital cosmetic powder (4) 56 Soon 4, we hear, gets tall (7) 57 Waste gets churned into river (6) 61 Order broken by O. Reed (4) 63 John from Caledonia indeed (4) 68 Spurn cute new flats (9)

72 We put tune intoBible (book)Pius range to out, Bar code reader, helping mangle (8) screens (tons (8, two words)ing at

74 Maiden, useful, squeez 75 Alpine novice, second in shelter (8)

76 mImappaleir(s8a) rough cyclopic race (8)

77 Remembered climbing holloW 78 Old feast has Japan hooked (7) 83 Tricks in suit he has left (4) 85 Chain bishop wears on the watch.

(6)

89 Group of heavenly radiance (4) 91 Laurel, brown under sun (4) 93 Uncle once featured in 48D (3)

Book prizes are sent out by the Post-a-Book service.