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, March 27 (photocopies not accepted). Today’s solution will appear next week and the winner’s name on Sunday, April 12. You must complete the iSpy box to enter. SEE BELOW THE GRID for details on how to enter – and good luck!
across
11 A reduction in the strength or power of something (9) 12 Small wind instrument also called a mouth organ (9) 13 Places of concealment used by hunters and birdwatchers (5) 14 – – – line, a line of fortifications built by France to defend its border with Germany prior to the Second World War (7) 15 Aneurin –––, Welsh Labour politician, responsible for the formation of the UK’s NHS (5) 16 Port in Angus, East Scotland, between the mouths of the North and South Esk rivers (8) 18 A place or situation in which people or ideas of different kinds gradually mix together (7,3) 22 Asiatic tree, the leaves of which yield a heavy fragrant oil (9) 24 Spent time learning about a particular subject (7) 27 One of a pair of decorative metal stands used to support logs in an open fire (7) 28 Host city of the 1992 Summer Olympics (9) 30 General term to describe inflammation of the skin (10) 32 In architecture, a construction that supports the end of a bridge (8) 35 Lake –––, the largest lake in Italy, fed by the Sarca River (5) 37 Muammar – – –, autocratic North African leader until 2011 (7) 38 A leguminous plant which bears large spikes of brightly-coloured flowers and flattened pods (5) 39 A museum attached to Oxford University, founded in 1683 (9) 40 Street in the City of London, famous for the Bow Bells of St Maryle-Bow church (9)
Down
1 A Japanese dish of thin fillets of raw fish (7) 2 A type of orb web arachnid (6,6) 3 Long, benchlike seats with backs, used by the congregation in a church (4) 4 In Greek myths, the messenger and herald of the gods (6) 5 The –––, famous British newspaper covering the entertainment industry, founded in 1880 (5) 6 Ornamental hanging lights with branches and holders for several candles or bulbs (11) 7 Term used to describe champagne that is dry (4) 8 A spool or reel on which thread or yarn is wound (6) 9 The capital of Ukraine, on the Dnieper River (4) 10 Relative importance, significance or size (9) 17 Device that produces thrust to lift and propel a helicopter (5) 19 One of the five senses, centred on the tongue (5) 20 City in South East Pennsylvania, scene of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (12) 21 A structure such as a garage or barn, separate from a main house (11) 23 An official language of India (5) 25 A German submarine, especially in the First and Second World Wars (1-4) 26 Festival associated with Shrove Tuesday (5,4) 29 Henry Morton –––, 19th Century explorer and journalist who searched for David Livingstone, the Scottish missionary in Central Africa (7) 31 Catherine of –––, the first wife of Henry VIII (6) 33 Old –––, another name for the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales (6) 34 Mr Fitzwilliam –––, hero of Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice (5) 36 Traditionally, the chief coalmining and industrial region of Germany, in North Rhine-Westphalia (4) 37 Fine –––, liberalconservative political party with 21,000 members founded in 1933 (4) 38 Circuits of a racecourse or track (4)
NOW HERE’S HOW TO ENTER
Complete the Prize Crossword and count how many times the letter ‘i’ appears in the finished grid. Post your completed grid AND iSpy answer to The Prize Crossword No 1949, The Mail on Sunday, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries must arrive by Friday, March 27 (photocopies not accepted). The winner will be selected at random from correct iSpy answers. Winner of Prize Crossword No 1946: Morna Erdem, of Gillingham, Kent, England. Last week’s answer: 16