SPECTATOR CROSSWORD No 974

ACROSS Deck game, perhaps, in which players must keep their heads up (5, 3, 4). •

9 It sounds, in such a case, as if the Selection Com- mittee has picked you tardily (9).

10 Being is a matter of sex and It! (5) 11 Vindicate the Archdeacon in age (6).

12 The way to get near a very quiet fish (8).

13 He fed ravenously! (6) 15 Cost of repairs on the road, all set out (8).

18 Ida leaps over the barrier (8).

19 Nigh on a penny for this (6).

21 The plagiarist's production is a model (4, 4).

23 It gives me the pip, the conscript might say in the kiosk (4-2).

26 One missing from the team? This should fill the gap (5).

27 It's risky to look in the mirror (9).

28 You can depend on their putting their foot down (12).

DOWN Select equipment for climbing (7).

O'Connor takes cover among the braves? (5) The figure of Time? (4-5) Undiluted beast (4).

He paints intricately, scenery perhaps? (8) She hesitates to appear in a very diaphanous fabric (5).

'A king of shreds and —' (Shakespeare) (7).

Miles round the upturned car (8).

There's something amiss when misfortunes are so concealed (3-5).

Exhortation to join the association to invest? (9) It's a gift! (8) Ethelberta's young sister is in the pink (7).

These birds reduce the blaze, but not with water

(7).

It's so flat to put a veto on almost everything (5).

The laird's turned very grey (5).

'A — at the gate Of Eden stood disconsolate' (Moore) (4). 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 14 16 17 18 20 22 24 25

Two prizes will be awarded: a copy of the De Luxe edition of Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary and a book token for one guinea. They will be awarded to the senders of the first two correct solutions opened at noon on January 21 and addressed: Crossword No. 974, 99 Gower St., London, WC1.

Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary, New Version, is recommended for Crosswords.

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Solution on January 24 Solution to No. 972 on page 59 The winners of Crossword No. 972 are: Mits. WM. CASII, The Old Vicarage, Ashbury, Nr. Swindon, and Miss BRANDER, San Michele, Domewood, Copthorne, Crawley, Sussex.