THE PRIZE CROSSWORD

WIN €2,000

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 22 (photocopies not accepted). Today’s solution will appear next week and the winner’s name on Sunday, April 7. You must complete the iSpy box to enter. SEE BELOW THE GRID for details on how to enter – and good luck!

Across

10 A recess or niche in

the wall of a room (6)

11 An occasion or opportunity to consider a matter honestly (7,5)

12 The god of mischief and destruction in

Norse mythology (4)

13 Not in favour of (7)

14 Short stabbing weapon

with a pointed blade (6)

15 An artist’s studio

or workshop (7)

16 A wooden or stone shelf

above a fireplace (11)

20 An inert gas used in illuminated signs and lights (4)

21 The movement of vehicles

on a public highway (7)

22 A dough of flour, fat and water and sometimes other ingredients (6)

23 Headgear used to

lead a horse (6)

25 A violent tropical storm (7) 27 The Book Of ---, trilogy of fantasy novels by Philip Pullman, expanding his trilogy His Dark Materials (4) 28 Versatile people, especially

in a sport (3-8)

29 Alternative name for the

cos lettuce (7)

32 A powerful shock that may

have long-lasting effects (6) 35 --- Galilei, Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher (7) 36 A desert in eastern

Asia, covering most of southern Mongolia (4)

37 1997 comedy film starring Robert Carlyle and

Tom Wilkinson (3,4,5)

38 Members of university staff responsible for the teaching and supervision of a certain number of students (6)

Down

1 A person who watches others, while not being noticed himself or herself (3,2,3,4)

2 A plain, unclarified broth or stock (8)

3 A state of quiet restfulness (6)

4 A stone fruit such as the peach, plum or cherry (5) 5 Sir John ---, character who is a companion to Prince Hal in Shakespeare’s Henry IV plays (8) 6 Instrument which may be used during a polygraph test (3,8) 7 Richard E. ---, US naval officer, aviator and polar explorer; a recipient of the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross (4)

8 Bernardo ---, Chilean independence leader who freed Chile from Spanish rule (8)

9 Chronic skin disease involving inflammation of the sebaceous glands (4) 17 A drop in standard of an isolated or temporary nature (5)

18 American poet, biographer and journalist who won three Pulitzer Prizes including one for his biography of Abraham Lincoln (4,8)

19 Portuguese explorer who was the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India (5,2,4)

21 City and port on the Gulf of Bothnia, capital of Finland until 1812 (5)

24 Famous comedy by Molière, first performed in 1664 (8)

26 South ---, US state, the capital of which is Columbia (8)

27 A game for two players using a board divided into 64 squares and 12 pieces each (8)

30 In law, having sworn to tell the truth, usually with one’s hand on the Bible (2,4)

31 Marie ---, English music

hall entertainer (5)

33 A river in west central Germany, flowing west into the Rhine (4)

34 --- McCoist, footballer who played internationally for Scotland from 1986 to 1998 (4)

NOW THERE ARE THREE WAYS 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 2156, The Mail on Sunday, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR, England. Entries must arrive by Friday, March 22 (photocopies not accepted). The winner will be selected at random from correct iSpy answers. See today’s solutions panel for terms and conditions.

Winner of Prize Crossword No 2153: Mr Charles Bolckow, of Purley, Surrey Last week’s answer: 19