29 FEBRUARY 1992, Page 45

CROSSWORD 1048: Reductions by Mass

A first prize of £20 and two further prizes of 110 (or, for UK solvers, a copy of Chambers English Dictionary — ring the word 'Dictionary') for the first three correct solutions (please, no photocopies) opened on 16 March. Entries to: Crossword 1048, The Spectator, 56 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LL.

20 radial lights read from rim to centre, and 20 from centre to rim. One in each sector is itself a non-word, but is derived from a full normal answer clued without definition. The circuit next to the outer one contains a sequence of eight lights which, by reduction, spell out a fairly apt word. Ignore three hyphens, an apostrophe and two accents.

Name Address RADIALS (6) 1 Stewed, sang like a bird 2 Loose, edition's back needs binding factor 3 Crude gory MS, badly written 4 Office thrash by the way, up North 5 Tenacious, letting nothing go — showing heart, say 6 Stolen money? (two words) 7 Such as tot up runs, with opener gone 8 Several pickpockets 9 Rock experts playing in festival 10 A point pierces me 11 A bar holding fifty out 12 Argued with pet about note 13 One in factory's easily influ- enced 14 Purifying liquid in a utensil is leaking out messily 15 Adult's confused about Malta's basis of law 16 One who leaked top secrets, mainly to MP, about strike? 17 Walk without river boat 18 Sulphide's wafted smell has one reeling 19 Proclaiming like ruler 20 Cable received by paying guest 21 Incapable, I blame a rum (two words) 22 Long for a lick of lolly, cone- shaped 23 Enter king wearing English crown 24 That is bookbinder's tool for spiral ornament 25 We're told horse will mend 26 Bird with high tone near sea 27 Soft cold dnnk in reserve 28 What ship may do in bottle, they say 29 Stamp with Queen inset is split 30 Soothe shortly with drink brought in, of egg-yolk 31 Iridium on new oil-can 32 Endless delay with endless case? Yes 33 Complaint again, made about noon 34 Drink, much-used, leads to ad- vanced paunches 35 Liver pickled in US drink 36 Grace needs one part of egg (one for recipe) 37 Dog getting canned meat 38 Exudation round lowest genus of trees 39 Academic, worthless, such as leads one a dance?

40 Crazy girl, a Mod