C ROSSWORD

No 1,540

TO ENTER Complete the crossword and count how many times the letter ‘A’ appears in the grid. Post your entry to YOU Crossword No 1,540, PO Box 5332, Cardiff Lane, Dublin 2. Closing date is Friday, May 12. One random winner from all correct entries will win €100 and five runners-up will win €25 each. Winners will be notified within 14 days. Solution in two weeks.

ACROSS

6 Drummer (surname) of 10 down who died in 1980 (6)

7 ‘There’s a ________ who sings’: line from 10 down’s 11 across and 19 down (8)

9 Room in a prison or a monastery (4)

11 (and 19 down) Classic song by 10 down which was the subject of unsuccessful copyright infringement action in 2016 (8,2,6)

12 Not seeing eye to eye (2,4)

13 Used for writing on a blackboard (5)

14 Cries, wails, screeches (7)

16 Fibrous protein that occurs in the outer layer of the skin and in hair and nails (7)

18 10 down’s singer (surname) who co-wrote 11 across and 19 down (5)

19 A robbery; a delay (4-2)

20 Deadly nightshade (10)

21 Repudiate, refute (4)

22 Plan, synopsis (8)

23 Explanation, justification (6) DOWN 1 Home economics (8,7) 2 Entertains, delights (6) 3 Sideways (7)

4 Expansion, growth (8)

5 Affectation, ostentatiousness, pomposity (15)

8 Extorted, exacted money by threats (11)

10 British rock band who achieved huge success in the 1970s (3,8)

15 Wanders without definite aim or direction (8)

17 In Greek mythology, the herald whose ‘voice was as powerful as 50 voices of other men’ – hence any person with a really loud voice (7)

19 See 11 across