SPECTATOR CROSSWORD No. 1,024

ACROSS 1 Comparisons to him were odorous (8) 5 Is port drunk in this toast? (6) 9 Flowers much employed in rumi- nation (8) It) I tell you I am very fit (6) 12 Neacra's evidently needed a good combing! (7) 13 Kept very busy at the polls in old Hanover? (7) 14 Vera is to rest, or she'll need them (12) 17 A fairy-tale ending (3, 4, 5). 12 Depressed areas? (7) 13 Little women who break off relations? (7)

14 Formidable brace of bluejackets (6)

25 Salt for the stupid shrew (8) DOWN

1 Cash in stud a/c. (6) • 2 Fine flowers of 'Auld Lang Syne'

(6)

3 The fair and gentle — became my blushing bride' (Poe) (7) 4 Rest cut short before I join the Right-wingers (12) 6 Saint withdraws from difficult circumstances, leaving one agape

(7)

7 What fun I have in a merry way

(8)

8 Take a chance and cap it (8) 11 Gorgonisation? (From our de- partment of Neology!) (12) 26 'A ministering angel shall my be' (Shakespeare) (6) 27 Stop for a time here (8) k first prize of a copy of Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary and a second prize of t hook token for one guinea will be awarded to the senders of the first two correct solutions Opened on Jan. 6. Address solutions: Crossword No. 1,024, 99 Gower St., London, WC1.

Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary is recommended for Crosswords.

Solution on January 9 IS A loud fault's concealed by inspiration (8)

16 The export remedies the fault (8) 18 The Archdeacon will take a little fish, the whole lot, in fact! (7) 19 New net I weave (7) 20 Pluto, prepare for battle! Surely not? (6)

21 The answer is in the affirmative (6)

1111111111111111111111111E111 111 111 El 11 11 111111111i1111111111111111111 II 111 MI E 111111111111111111

111E111111111111111111

1111111111111111 11111111111111111111