THE PRIZE CROSSWORD
There’s an amazing €2,000 prize for the first correct solution drawn at random in our general knowledge Prize Crossword. Entries must arrive by Friday, December 14 (photocopies not accepted). Today’s solution will appear next week and the winner’s name on Sunday, December 30. You must complete the iSpy box to enter. SEE BELOW THE GRID for details on how to enter – and good luck!
Across
1 The largest city on South Island, New Zealand (12) 8 Surname of American brothers Orville and Wilbur, generally credited with inventing and building the first successful aeroplane (6) 11 An annual international tennis championship for men’s teams (5,3) 12 The official in charge of a train (5) 13 The skin of a fur-bearing animal, such as a mink (4) 14 An official who shows people to their seats, as in a church or theatre (5) 15 The 28th President of the United States, in office from 1913 to 1921 (7,6) 17 North Yorkshire village, the site of an important British Army garrison (9) 19 Legendary English town where King Arthur’s palace and court were situated (7) 23 A red, transparent precious stone that is a variety of corundum (4) 24 The largest of Italy’s Pelagie Islands, between Malta and Tunisia (9) 25 A shelf along the bottom edge of a window (4) 26 A Greek epic poem, attributed to Homer, describing the ten-year homeward wanderings of a hero of the siege of Troy (7) 28 A port on the East coast of the Isle of Lewis, largest settlement in the Outer Hebrides (9) 31 Kenyan long-distance runner who is the current world record holder for the marathon (5,8) 34 Graham –––, former Essex and England cricket captain who was Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1980 (5) 36 The part of a sleeve nearest the hand (4) 37 A shout or cry of approval or encouragement (5) 38 and 8 Down Operetta by Franz Lehár premiered in Vienna in 1905 (3,5,5) 39 Drains or pipes, especially underground, used to carry away surface water or waste matter (6) 40 State of the northeastern US, the capital of which is Harrisburg (12)
Down
2 William Randolph –––, US newspaper magnate whose life story was the inspiration for the lead character in the film Citizen Kane (6) 3 A plan or line of travel, route (9) 4 Riding harness for horses, such as saddles or bridles (4) 5 A music hall, variety theatre or circus (10) 6 Not bending, physically inflexible (5) 7 With the front foremost (4,2) 8 See 38 Across 9 A sudden desire, whim or inclination (7) 10 1969 musical film directed by Gene Kelly and starring Barbra Streisand (5,5) 16 Clement –––, Labour Party politician who served as British Prime Minister 1945 to 1951 (6) 18 The top of a hill or wave (5) 20 River in South America, the largest river in the world by volume (6) 21 An overseas region of France in the East Caribbean (10) 22 People or things acting as substitutes (10) 25 Popular drama series on radio or TV about the lives of a group of people living in a particular place (4,5) 27 Very light, fluffy dish made with egg yolks and stiffly-beaten egg whites (7) 29 The act or process of maintaining something in good repair (6) 30 In some European countries, a duty on various goods brought into certain towns or cities (6) 32 The recoils of guns or other firearms (5) 33 Lake –––, the secondlargest of the Great Lakes of North America (5) 35 The skin or rind of a fruit or vegetable (4)