THE PRIZE CROSSWORD
WIN £1,500
There’s an amazing £1,500 prize for the first correct solution drawn at random in our general knowledge Prize Crossword. Entries must arrive by Friday, November 11 (photocopies not accepted). Today’s solution will appear next week and the winner’s name on Sunday, November 27. SEE BELOW THE GRID for details on how to enter.
Across
1 Late broadcaster who was a BBC newsreader from 1954 to 1982 (7,5)
8 Subjects or themes of speeches, essays and books (6) 11 In ancient Greece or
Rome, a great public sacrifice, originally of a hundred oxen (8)
12 A leisurely motion in walking (5)
13 12 o’clock in the daytime (4)
14 Italian poet famous for his Divine Comedy (5)
15 A senior officer in the RAF, junior to a group captain (4,9)
17 Religious leader and founder of Sikhism (4,5)
19 A commemorative inscription on a tombstone or monument (7)
23 Something extremely useful, helpful or beneficial (4)
24 Felt or straw hats with a wide brim, traditionally worn in Mexico (9)
25 The --- Of Mars, science fantasy novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs featuring the character John Carter (4)
26 The capital and largest city of Guinea (7)
28 A dianthus plant cultivated for its colourful flowers (9)
31 American rock ‘n’ roll singer who had a 1961 hit with Let’s Twist Again (6,7)
34 --- of Troy, the daughter of Zeus and Leda in Greek mythology, considered the most beautiful woman in the world (5)
36 Goods stolen during pillaging (4)
37 A highly venomous snake which spreads the skin of its neck region into a hood when alarmed (5)
38 Fulke ---, 1st Baron Brooke, Chancellor of the Exchequer under James I from 1614-21 (8)
39 Birthplace of Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab (6)
40 Large arid area of Africa in which the Aïr Massif and Tibesti Mountains are located (6,6)
Down
2 A thick mass of glacial frozen water and snow that permanently covers an area of land (6)
3 Uncomfortable sensation beneath the breastbone caused by irritation of the oesophagus (9)
4 Disturbance made by an unruly mob (4)
5 A young infant that has to be carried (4,2,4)
6 A variety of the wild ass found in Tibet and surrounding regions (5)
7 --- --- MacGregor, Scottish outlaw and folk hero pardoned by George I in 1727 (3,3)
8 A non-SI unit of heat energy (5)
9 The edible creamcoloured seed of certain evergreen coniferous trees (4,3)
10 Town in Northern South Australia sometimes referred to as the ‘Opal Capital of the World’ (6,4)
16 Pointer or flashing bar used to indicate a particular position on a computer screen (6)
18 The main vessel in the arterial network (5)
20 The former standard monetary unit of Spain, replaced by the euro in 2002 (6)
21 In photography, black and white (10)
22 Opera in four acts by Alexander Borodin, left unfinished when he died in 1887 (6,4)
25 Fresh or packaged food products (9)
27 A person empowered to judge in a dispute (7)
29 In ancient Greece, the chief city of Boeotia, destroyed by Alexander the Great (6)
30 A place where wine is stored (6)
32 Vessel propelled by sail or power, used especially for pleasure cruising or racing (5)
33 A trainer or instructor (5)
35 A large group of mammals living and feeding together (4)