SPECTATOR CROSSWORD No. 971

ACROSS

1 Postpone the meeting ori`account of a rascal? (8) 1 5 Twin edifices at each end of the old city become one (6). 2 9 Stale jokes, in fact (8). 3 10 Source of gold in a literary river (6). 4 12 One limb's missing from this embrace (5).

13 Is it the job of the roller to do this, revealing spots? (4, 5) 14 Here one finds a reasonable system in an ally (12).

18 Snatches note from the French repertoire (12).

21 Unconsciously ironed again? (9) 23 'The curfew tolls the — of parting day' (Gray) (5).

24 Or Dian the matchless one might be (6).

25 Lives all in readiness for the chase? (8) 26 Guard dispatched to the railway (6).

27 Visible on November 31, perhaps? (4, 4) 22

6 DOWN

'The stage but echoes back the — voice' (Johnson) (6).

Abandoned fag-end for an offender? (3, 3)

0 remnants in these decorations (9).

There's no profit motive apparently in such awkwardness (12).

Her ma appears—in search of her daughter perhaps! (5) Repent completely? (8) 'Hall the year were playing—' (Shakespeare) (8).

Glut laid on in this fashion (12).

American partner in a joint account might show the game was up (9).

Yellowish (8).

Pitch tents and have a mixed gin! (8)

I'm between the sea and nothing, clad in wool (6). 'My second mother, my first wife,' Stevenson called her (6).

Place that provides final alternative for a witch (5).

7 8 11 15 16 17 19 20

Two prizes will be awarded: a copy of the Do Luxe edition of Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary and a book token for one guinea. They will be awarded to the senders of the first two correct solutions opened at noon on December 31 and addressed: Crossword No. 971, 99 Gower St., London, WCI.

Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary, New Version, is recommended for Crosswords.