W. a J.

CROSSWORD

GRAHAM'S

PORT

GRAHAM'S

PORT

1176: Masterful by Columba

A first prize of £25 and a bottle of Graham's Malvedos 1979 Vintage Port for the first correct solution opened on 26 September, with two runners-up prizes of £15 (or, for UK solvers, the new edition of The Chambers Dictionary – ring the word `Dictionary'). Entries to: Crossword 1176, The Spectator, 56 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LL.

mom" 10 9

17

..■, 6 p■... 7

8 9

11

112

I

1,

18

9

20

21

22

11

25

26

-27

29

30

31

32 33 34

36 37

:

41

43

The unclued lights have achieved the same distinction. Their barred-off letters could form FAST SPARS BY RANKS.

Name Address Dictionary prizes are sent out by the 'Post-a-Book' service. ACROSS 1 Implying pepsin group's working (12) 10 Fastener? Scot's capital's locked in with it (4) 12 Stirring bee, pal Eric is apt to be stung (10) 14 Crown thanks judge (3) 15 Wears down a tourist gutted by customs (8) 17 Destroy King among rest (5) 19 Entries including name for S. African thorns (6) 24 Reds, northern sports (5)

26 Bishops' lines, spoken in revolution, carrying poor along (9) 27 Hello! chief retorted, breaking Mirror exclusive (9, hyphened) 29 Weary of rotten nuisance (5)

34 Jock's young hen that's over grating? (6)

36 One twitches, nabbing Capone and characters like him! (7)

38 Lesson spoken after mass (5) 39 Lift puzzling to reveal ... (8) 40 ... the loftiest featuring within this scale? (3) 42 Justify antique possessions (4) 43 Female agent, deep one wearing morning gown (12) DOWN 2 Clique secures European deal with backing (10) 4 Asian airline, not so soft (5) 6 Old box, since abandoned, containing records initially (6) 7 Dance? Of course (5) 8 Eels swimming further (4) 9 Serve is broken, in return, with iron hand (12) 11 Maybe the Archer autograph suppresses smears? (8, two words) 13 Lack dough and thin peel chef ordered (12, three words) 16 Upset female says sorry? (3) 19 Duke, see, holds island — his designs are within (6) 20 Language so enthrals learner on short holiday, we hear (6) 21 Money poet mostly deserves gets better (10) 23 Grotesque faces builders put round estate? (9) 28 Real struggling with oar over sunken spot (7) 30 It chirps so audibly a note (6) 33 Flash Gordon's top ace in moon-landing craft (5) 35 Around Australia cricket's kept up (5) 37 Rush mate perhaps with queen? (4)