£500 TO BE WON ★ NO 1,674

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 1,674, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries will be accepted until 11.59pm on Friday 6 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 Starving, famished, ravenous (6)

8 A grand number? (8)

10 Love, worship, think the world of (5)

11 Dirty (6)

12 Midday (4)

13 (and 19 across, 5 down, 21 down) Proverb suggesting that you shouldn’t unappreciatively question a present or handout too closely (4,4,1,4,5,2,3,5)

15 Unusual, odd, curious (7)

17 University undergraduate (7)

19 See 13 across

22 The left side of a ship (4)

23 Sayings, maxims (6)

24 Seize, take over, or appropriate (land, a throne, etc) without authority (5)

25 Take the first steps in one’s career (5,3)

26 Exit, way out, outlet (6)

DOWN

1 Deputy, substitute, proxy (9)

2 Mogul, magnate (6)

3 Eponymous Shakespeare hero who has fewer lines than Iago (7)

4 Challenge, brave, face (8)

5 See 13 across

7 Your child’s female child (13)

9 Dotted or speckled (often used for hair) with contrasting colours, especially black and white (4-3-6)

14 Scottish city which is the administrative centre of the Highlands (9)

16 Place that sells items that are suitable for giving as presents (8)

18 Shoves, pushes, knocks (7)

20 In Genesis, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah (6)

21 See 13 across