crossword

ACROSS

12 Mrs −−; author whose novels include Mary Barton, Cranford, North and South, Sylvia’s Lovers and a posthumous biography of her friend Charlotte Brontë (7) 13 District in the City of Westminster bounded by Park Lane, Piccadilly and Regent Street (7) 14 Actor who starred as 007 in Casino Royale and Skyfall (5) 15 Actress remembered for her role as Lady Bracknell in the 1952 film version of Oscar Wilde’s play The Importance of Being Earnest (5) 16 Generic name for marine algae collectively; edible varieties of which include Irish moss, laver, nori, sugar kelp, sea lettuce and spirulina (7) 17 Village in Argyll and Bute, site of a castle that appeared in the video of the song Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney and his band Wings (7) 18 −−: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption; 2010 non-fiction by Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand (8) 20 The second-longest-serving UK female MP in the history of the House of Commons, who as Minister of Transport introduced the 70mph speed limit and the breathalyser test (6) 22 Shepherdess in The Winter’s Tale (5) 25 This Desirable −−; 1970 collection of cartoons by Norman Thelwell (4) 26 Italian Renaissance artist and architect who created the altarpiece Sistine Madonna, featuring a pair of cherubs resting beneath Mary (7) 27 Author who wrote the children’s classic Tom’s Midnight Garden (6) 30 Also called Queen Anne’s lace, a hedgerow plant with fern-like leaves and umbels of delicate white flowers during mid-spring and early summer (3,7) 32 The science and study of the mind and behaviour (10) 34 −− Challenge; television show that was originally presented by quizmaster Bamber Gascoigne and, since 1994, Jeremy Paxman (10) 36 Chinese appetiser of filo-wrapped bean sprouts and julienned

vegetables, cooked until golden and crisp (6,4) 39 Genus name of the calico bush (6) 41 From the Japanese literally meaning “harbour wave”, a cataclysm triggered by tectonic activity (7)

42 Comfortably −−; Pink Floyd single released in 1980 with the B-side

Hey You (4) 46 −− a Boy; 2002 comedy drama film starring Hugh Grant and Rachel Weisz, based on a novel by Nick Hornby (5) 47 Founder and leader of a British fascist party nicknamed Blackshirts, parodied by PGWodehouse in his novels as Sir Roderick Spode (6) 48 According to legend, the most trusted of King Arthur’s knights, who had an affair with his wife Queen Guinevere (8) 51 34 Across student in their first year (7) 53 Chemical element in the transition similar to zirconium, atomic no. 72 (7) 54 −− round; in showjumping, term for a course accomplished without any faults or penalty points (5) 55 Horseshoe-shaped bend in a river; also section of a yoke (5) 56 Poet who wrote: “And it’s not for the sake of a ribboned coat, Or the selfish hope of a season’s fame, But his captain’s hand on his shoulder smote, Play up! Play up! and play the game!” (7) 57 Either of a pair of foot supports attached to an English generalpurpose saddle (7)

DOWN

1 In geology, rock formed by solidification of magma or lava (7) 2 Transcontinental Turkish city, partly in Europe and partly in Asia (8) 3 Nazi deputy leader imprisoned for life in Spandau Prison following a secret, self-initiated solo flight to Scotland in a Messerschmitt to negotiate peace with Britain (4) 4 −− Palace; the official residence of the President of the French Republic since 1873, occupied by Madame de Pompadour in the 1750-1760s (6) 5 The capital of Jordan (5) 6 Nicknamed the city of pearls, capital of the Indian state

Andhra Pradesh (9)

7 Caricaturist who regularly contributed to the Victorian-era magazine Vanity Fair under the pen names Spy and Drawl (4) 8 Netted stick used in a team sport (6) 9 Community of scholars collectively (8) 10 The author of Moorland Mousie (4) 11 Cape −−; the southernmost point of Africa (7)

19 Low-GI savoury biscuit traditionally made in Scotland (7)

21 −− of the Unexpected; collection of short stories by Roald Dahl (5)

23 A half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments (7)

24 Historical and portrait artist noted for The Murder of Rizzio (4) 26 Arm of the Southern Ocean (4,3) 27 Italian composer who wrote

La bohème, Tosca and Madama

Butterfly (7) 28 Domestic assistant at Oxford University (5) 29 ----- -cross; form of off-road bicycle racing over muddy, rough terrain (5) 31 Longest river in New Zealand (7) 33 Form of farming with a certification process developed by the Soil Association in 1967 (7) 35 Roman emperor from 79-81AD (5) 37 Fruit related to apples (4) 38 Marketing term for comestibles such as blueberries or kale with supposed health benefits (9) 40 Footballer known as the “Wizard of Dribble” (8) 43 Codename for the artificial harbours constructed for the 1944 Allied invasion of Normandy (8) 44 Crocus stigmas used as flavouring (7) 45 One of the seven Pleiades (7) 47 Wool used to make base layers (6) 49 ------ Famous; 2000 comedy film starring Kate Hudson (6) 50 Bread in the form of pockets (5) 52 Place of Napoleon’s first exile (4) 53 Board for carrying wet plaster (4) 54 The Greek muse of history (4)