Crossword 549

A prize of ten pounds will be awarded for the first correct solution opened on 5 April. Entries to: Crossword 549, The Spectator, 56 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LL.

1 2

3 4

5

6

7 8

11

E

-1-

7

12

Prl

E

F

ill 16

Fl

Ni

23

30

■

■

31

.cif

■

36

39

.. .

In three word chains of the form AB, BC, CD, DA the word B, which solvers must name, is the same in each chain. The unclued lights are the nine remaining words in the chains. Seven of the terms in he full chains are (like four of the normal lights) hyphen- ed and three are of two words.

Name Address ACROSS 4 It's fine in a man's world, for New Yorkers for example (9) 9 Grass country Spain needed to display offensive weapons (10) 11 Plant from which to steal game? On the contrary (6) 12 A wood pulpit has some rever- ting to it (7) 14 Cover of ship's hold or dock (5) 16 Copper in legal delay provokes notes of criticism (6) 23 Headless grey sea-worms (7) 27 Benefice holder, the leader in form of ritual (7) 29 Sheridan's long-suffering flag? (8) 32 Jock's had the ability once to give a penny, nothing more (6) 34 Harry e.g. couturier of esteem (5) 35 Sounds like an occasion for ill humour once (5) 36 Scrotal form of sea-loch (7) 37 Chore without energy could be so long! (6) 38 Rival of Maupassant's stories? So many too (10) 39 Is it their sound intention to make less lambs stray? (9) 40 But a panel-beater could be taken off this list (5) DOWN 1 Cat with half its prey? And half a wrong pronunciation for a start! (10) 2 Rope binding one in a tree (5) 4 All in a heap like publicity seeker getting, we hear, all for nothing (7) 5 Con-man's know-how whereby investors suffer reverses? (7) 6 Sort of spring Hindu festival blouse worn with a sari (5) 7 Grandma got a mixed reception as an animal breeder (9)

8 Stokes has a lot of money for a soldier (4) 10 Slaughter in moderation? A natural end l eknille(r9')s brought about A 13 Hand basins, as it were, may be rubbish containers (7) 15 Salt emanating from the initia- tion rite preceding half-term (6), 17 Combination of dirt and bits 01 coal nuts (9) 18 Aid to a remarkable century (7) 19 Particular under-the-counter charges for mineral deposits (10) 20 A simple giant and a prince meet up in a provincial town (9) 26 Sounds almost a pronounced

feature of a fertiliser (7) 28 Installs where cables go (7) 30 Favourite fish of a Roman or Greek money in use once (6)

31 Characteristic developeder by osteopath without a top, phaPs (5)