CROSSWORD No 1,625

£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 1,625, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries will be accepted until 11.59pm on Friday 28 December. 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 First name of the character played by Simon Helberg in 19, 20

across (6) 7 Of or relating to the Greeks or their language (8)

9 Male animal kept for breeding purposes (4)

11 Sauce, similar to mayonnaise, that is popular in Britain (5,5)

12 Substance that harms or kills people or animals if they swallow it or absorb it (6)

13 Layer in the stratosphere that absorbs ultraviolet rays (5)

14 First name of the character played by Johnny Galecki in 19, 20 across (7) 16 At a wedding, the man who assists the bridegroom (4,3) 18 Greek author of fables (5) 19 (and 20 across) US TV sitcom about scientists (3,3,4,6) 20 19 across Location, See 21 place (4) 22 Municipal council member (8) 23 Racehorse that has not won a specified number of races (6)

DOWN

1 Polemically (15) 2 Horse rated at even money or less to win (4-2) 3 First name of the character played by Jim Parsons in 19, 20 across (7) 4 Archaic word meaning joyful or cheerful (8) 5 Measurements of a body at certain points (5,10) 8 Seriousness (11) 10 Free, separate, detach (11) 15 Place for the elderly to live (4,4) 17 Choose or assign a person to a position (7) 19 Attempting, difficult (6)