£500 TO BE WON

TO ENTER Complete the crossword and count how many times the letter ‘A’ appears in the grid. Text YOU followed by a space, your answer (the number of ‘A’s) and name to 65700, eg, YOU 9 Sue Smith. Texts cost £1 plus your standard network rate. Or telephone 0905 652 2141 and leave your answer and details. Calls cost £1 plus your telephone company’s network access charge. Or post your entry to YOU Crossword No 1,612, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries will be accepted until 11.59pm on Friday 28 September. One random winner from all correct entries will win £250 and five runners-up will win £50 each. If you enter after the closing date you will not be included but may still be charged. Phone and text helpline: 0808 272 0808. Winners will be notified by phone within 14 days. Solution in two weeks.

ACROSS

6 Region of France often mentioned with Lorraine (6)

7 Action of a volcano (8) 9 16 across,

19 down always wore a smart one as 13 across in 10 down (4) 11 The Bible (10) 12 Veto, turn down (6)

13 The surname of 16 across, 19 down’s character in 10 down (5) 14 Reversion to an earlier type (7) 16 (and 19 down) The male star of 10 down through all its incarnations (7,6) 18 The Vikings (5) 19 Spite, hatred (6) 20 Unemotional; as 13 across always was in 10 down (10) 21 Mrs ____: 13 across’s partner in 10 down from 1965 to 1968 (4) 22 Succeeds, thrives (8) 23 Anticipate (6)

DOWN

1 English county (15)

2 Wealthy frequent travellers (3,3)

3 Chronic infectious disorder – also called Hansen’s disease (7)

4 Writ issued by a court of justice requiring a person to appear before the court at a specified time (8) 5 Home economics (8,7) 8 Short, loud noise heard from the sky during a storm (11) 10 Classic 1960s TV series (3,8) 15 Archaic word for a prostitute or promiscuous woman (8)

17 Provider of treatment for teeth (7) 19 See 16 across (6)