H CROSSWORD NO 1,893 H

TO ENTER Complete the crossword and count how many times the letter ‘J’ appears in the grid. Post your entry to YOU Crossword No 1,893, PO Box 5332, Cardiff Lane, Dublin 2. Closing date is Friday, February 23. One random winner from all correct entries will win a €15 book voucher. The winner will be notified within 14 days (telephone number required). Solution in two weeks.

ACROSS

6 A small cave where you’d expect to meet Santa Claus (6)

8 Dutiful, law-abiding (8)

10 US region that once had a large manufacturing industry but is now in decline (4,4)

11 Southern English county now split into

East and West (6)

12 Age reached by Judi Dench and Maggie Smith this year (6)

13 Neil, Kirsty,

Will or Paul (5)

15 Platitudes (7)

17 City captured by Joshua in the Bible (7)

19 The stomach of a pig, cow or ox that is eaten as food (5)

20 Clergyman (6) 22 The refrain in a song (6)

23 Caribbean island (8)

24 In Greek mythology, the monster with the head of a bull and the body of a man (8)

25 Fifth-century king of the

Huns (6)

DOWN

1 Casino dealers (9)

2 Funny play or TV show (6)

3 Margot, the late prima ballerina (7)

4 Comfort, hearten (8)

5 Rage (5)

7 (and 14 down) Proverb suggesting that the winner of a conflict wins additional benefits (2,3,6,2,3,6) 9 Unimportant, minor, irrelevant (13)

14 See 7 down

16 Pillar, backbone, bulwark (8)

18 Katharine, the Oscar-winning actress, was no relation of the

Oscar-winner Audrey (7)

20 The custom in some Muslim and Hindu communities of keeping women in seclusion (6) 21 Group of singers in church (5)