CROSSWORD

A first prize of £20 and two further prizes of £10 (or, for UK solvers, a copy of Chambers English Dictionary — ring the word `Dictionary') for the first three correct solutions opened on 17 December. Entries to: Crossword 987, The Spectator, 56 Doughty Street, London WCIN 2LL.

7 8

12

Jul

10 1

6

X11 1

17

32

21 _____

19

27

c

33

36

37 ■

I

42

The words DEAmits FLOOD PLANT BULBS & ROD QUARTERS PARTINGS respectively define other words which have something in common and have to be dealt with in a certain way to form yet other words which form the otherwise unclued lights. Solutions to the asterisked clues are also of a (different) kind but contain no overall definitions. Ignore one accent elsewhere.

Name Address

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

ACROSS 1 Is first-rate filling material (8) 5 *Is sweet, but heartless (6) 9 Stops short? Prove otherwise! (10) 14 Say nothing — that shows self- confidence (3) 16 *Living measure? (6)

18 *One's a help when making a come-back (5)

20 Wink from a customer circling about a pub (7) 22 Looked glum when let down (7) 24 One to note in support of a ferocious female (7) 25 Lighter but, like 5's leader, in- firm (5) 28 Bristle-like protuberance to see on a fish (7)

31 One led both sides in revolution- ary fashion in one of the Domin- ions (7)

33 From whence ambrosia's deli- vered in a complex crate in a condensed state? (7) 38 A rib that's nothing to smile about (5) 39 Thus absorbed is a little bit of the Continental crust (6) 40 This pal's one of a number (3) 41 Could be lover can, e.g., cast the eye thus (10) 42 Getting on a gee-gee — one brought in from Germany? (6) 43 Was rough on freshwater fish, being sprinkled (8) DOWN 1 Don't move so much, being lazy, in such State? (13) 3 Girl a priest described as a com- monplace speaker (6) 4 Customary piece of advice, gas- tronomically speaking (5) 6 A Welsh jane sick at heart of Asia Minor (7) 7 Shakespearian retinue that's first to complain (6) 8 Ask what woman's time for (4) 10 Responds to a variety of 30 that's past (6) 11 Flap one's in, coming penniless upon singular French 23 (9)

12 Runabout, finished as in France, bein3)g imported is not advised (1

13 *Place of study in Spain (8) 15 Unfavourable bit of poetry a dunderhead introduced (7) 19 Ponderously crafty outlining of craft (9) 21 *Champ's top-hole rise (8) 23 See 11 (7) 27 When talent's about, is a round- about sort of inducement (7) 29 Nozzle the old soldiers originally tightened up first (6) 30 Bit early starting to shave (6) 32 Divert one bird embracing another (6)