"THE SPECTATOR " CROSSWORD No. 178 [A Book Token for

one Emma will is cwarded to the sender of the first correct solution of this week's crossword to be opened after noon on Tuesday week. Envelopes should be received not later than first post that day and must bear the we-d "Crossword," the NUMBER of the guzzle and a zld. stamp. Solutions must be on the form below, and none can be accepted from the US.A. The solution and the name of the winner will be published in the following issue.]

ACROSS

1. Nowadays one might say they are rot certificate-conscious.

9. Bagged by the Tories?

to. It sounds a good piece.

ti. A letter at last.

12. One might expect this architectural feature to get worn away.

13. Father with a little jollification in progress.

15. Associated with " pure ablution " on and off.

17. Aries with buttons.

19. Evidently she is not out of her wits.

20. When, by deduction, Caesar was at least as good as his word. 22. Resin.

24. One doesn't care to have it taken out of one.

25. It's simply disastrous.

26. Not a man from Down Under.

DOWN

2. " Still in thy right hand carry gentle To silence envious tongues." (Shakespeare.) 3. One can't get it at home.

4. Old fate of grapes. 5. Hock, an old vintage.

6. Game favoured by the Northumber- land Fusiliers?

7. He makes tea or rugs. 8. Period when Parliament really dis- tinguished itself, perhaps. 9. Politician always welcome as a guest? (4, 5, 3.) 14. Forgiveness.

x6. For storage on the metric system. 18. Last past the post with a letter missing.

19. Carrying record.

21. Seventeen but unobserved.

23. Formerly surrounded by water.