SPECTATOR CROSSWORD No. 873

ACROSS

1 Convulsive effect of those illuminating bills (8, 5).

9 Not quite everyone takes to the drug- gist (9).

10 Roman matron's stage appearance is almost common (5).

11 Ho always pays (5).

12 As the unwilling tar of old might have said (9).

13 Softly getting up (7).

15 It suggests continuity of mournful celebration (7).

17 Arnold's gipsy (7).

19 Glued in? Help yourself! (7) 21 Where Swinburno heard the song of a secret bird (9), 23 Not Guy Fawkes's favourite symphony probably (5).

24 The baths have a naive backward look (5).

25 Rommel sat in this disturbance (9).

26 Sirens? They usually aro! (7, 6) DOWN 2 The calling of Mr. Varden (9).

3 and gentle stream, Known and loved so long' (Bridges) (5).

4 1 trespass in horse-play, very elevating (7).

5 How Pussy puts the wind up the yachtsman (7).

6 Unlikely state of the Cock o' the North (9).

7 Cross-grained fish (5).

8 Led Ada artistically (6).

9 Final aspect of a pull-up (3, 2).

14 Lend me oil (anag.) (3-6).

16 All the policemen; that's powerful (4, 5).

17 'A — lnd a wiser man He rose the morrow morn' (Coleridge) (6).

18 Macadam perhaps? (7) 19 India goes short but gets plenty of water (7).

20 Nearly enough for breakfast in Surrey (5).

22 Eel wriggling about 11 isn't at home (5).

23 No light matter this (5).

Two prizes will be awarded: a copy of the Do Luxe editiion of Chamber's Twentieth Century Dictionary and a book token for one guinea. They will be awarded to the senders of the first two correct solutions opened atter noon on February 14 and addressed: Crossword No. 873, 09 Gower St., London, WC!

ChamberesTwerukth Century Dictionary, New Version, is recommended for Crosswords.