1 JULY 1995, Page 61

CROSSWORD

A first prize of £25 and a bottle of Graham's Late Bottled Vintage 1988 Port for the first correct solution opened on 17 July, with two runners-up prizes of £15 (or, for UK solvers, the Chambers Dictionary – ring the word `Dictionary'). Entries to: Crossword 1216, The Spectator, 56 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LL.

Each clue comprises a definition and a hidden jumble f the light incorporating one extra letter. These extras spell out seven adjec- tives which, applied to the unclued lights (one hyphened, one a phrase), form plausible phrases suggested, indirectly, by the title.

Name Address Metalworker with drum he's still riveting (11) 7 Hatched obscure plot (3) 11 Head in daze, concussed (6) 13 Board I damaged in miniature stage set (7) 15 Six at Lords, with willow (5) 16 Great athlete's award (5) 17 Borrow mechanic's thick juice (6) 18 Hanging downwards, arms (5) 20 Dyestuff (lac, in error) (6) 21 Vessel for Tokay, one crate (5) 22 Present a Grecian play again (7, hyphened) 27 Eyed potato, culled (7) 29 Feisty Mac, Scottish peer (5) 30 Count, repeat like a parrot (6) 32 Intact, hazel's lobe (5) 34 Ditty's archaic sound (6) 36 Nick a lag, return to pen (5) 37 Exorcise a Satanic possession

(5) 38 Install battens rigidly (7)

39 Huskies in tangles (6) 40 Trifle with sherry's topping (3) 41 Farming fresh huso, source of roe (11) DOWN 2 Rules one's oddly relaxed (8) 3 Complicated on the whole, the arabesque (9) 5 Current units, not in amps (7) 6 Order lad a whisky in ship's bar

(8)

7 Float, say? Labourite? (5) 9 Cross-rib, panel, frieze (6) 10 First slip, milord (5) 12 Mail's so flexible (6) 19 Ordinal consecrates this evensong (10)

23 Obnoxious heel? Man's

unspeakable (8) 24 Lavish in Agra, mausoleum for Indian princess (8) 25 Taste a tot, give proof (6) 26 Run off, appear cursory (7) 28 Sad, most distressed (6) 31 Muse (poetry, amatory) (5)

Solution to 1213: Anag or anag

The unclued lights expressed the abbreviations A or a + NAG (cf 18A ADULT + 36A SCOLD). At 25D, ANTE and ALTO were equally acceptable.

First prize: Diana Lloyd, Cambridge. Runners-up: W. B. Stephenson, London SW12; N. Hussey, Overton, Hampshire.

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