A first prize of £25 and a bottle of Graham's

Late Bottled Vintage 1988 Port for the first correct solution opened on 19 June, with two runners-up prizes of £15 (or, for UK solvers, the Chambers Dictionary – ring the word `Dictionary'). Entries to: Crossword 1212, The Spectator, 56 Doughty Street, London WCIN 2LL.

The unclued lights (which include one pair) are of a kind, verifi- able in Brewer. Elsewhere, ignore an accent.

Name Address Dictionary prizes are sent out by the 'Post-a-Book' service. ACROSS 1 Look! Seamen returning in herds for time-pieces (12, hyphened) 10 Sound of frailer rail (4) 14 Bill is member of the upper class (3) 15 Wave about health-food bowl (8) 18 Exaction of accommodation onshore, maybe (7) 19 Flogs Scottish cattle in state (6) 22 Recognise old Cockney mercenary immediately (6) 24 Conveniently play out time inside (5) 26 Let on: uttered wildly (9, two words) 27 Town which Henry has to claim as his (9) 29 Antiseptic solution treated louse

(5)

31 Eagle? That's a golf score! (6) 34 Very quietly enters valley, mottled (6) 36 Can I become friendly? (7) 38 During games we attract this!

(5)

39 I had backed stunned tenor as poet (8)

40 Fiat model with posh number (3)

41 Military couriers smashing seat at school (10) 42 They are naturally charged for half-portions (4) DOWN 3 . Wife's unwell, crying (7) 5 Material from officer with note inside (9) 6 Significant ring often turning (6, two words) 7 Sort of studio light awfully like midnight (5) 8 Huntsman's call in London (4) 9 It's clear soon after 8.15 p.m. (12, hyphened) 13 Associate ceases mending document containers (12, hyphened) 16 Secluded, among lush yuccas (3) 20 Money from tailless breed (6)

23 Tina toast' served as appetiser (9)

25 Ring during commotion about sign: it's good-bye! (8, hyphened) 30 Overthrown everyone in hog (6) 32 Invite offer (3)

33 Take nursemaid for non-Muslim 5)

( 35 Shakespeare's old-fashioned tale about Duke (5) 37 Poor weather from motorway to centre of Boston (4)

Solution to 1209: Girl of my heart

The centre of each unclued light consisted of a different girl's name.

First prize: G.S. Nicholls, Heusen- stamm, Germany. Runners-up: D.H. Pearson, Deal, Kent; A.L. Taylor, Ampleforth, York.