Clues in italics are cryptic indications of partial answers. In each case, the indicated part must be 5 39 (five words in all) to create the full answer to be entered in the grid. Definitions of the resulting entries are supplied by unclued lights.
 

Across

 
1    Film second struggle (5)
6    Riding from base left by soldier? (8)
12    Proclaim payment, engaging former top spies (10)
13    New advance in enlightened state with ace hospitals (9)
14    Turkey acceptable in marketplace (4)
15    Heather in nunnery missing energy of office work (8)
16    Gold, ounce in firm palm (6)
17    Bearded knight seized by dread deserted (5)
21    Turning saucy, are people boring? (11)
22    Sets of nine seen and sorted (7)
26    Saw disturbed state of sea (3)
28    Serviceman promoted before trouble (7)
29    Hard treatment of a one-nation party (11)
33    Smooth, soft passage (5)
34    Book little less positive about revolutionary tax (6)
35    Shabbiest witness, second in council (8)
37    Goddess in ornate clothes (4)
38    Change scale a bit to show region of water (9, two words)
40    Shelter you found in home having colourless features (8, hyphened)
41    Scots post special order (5)
 

Down

 
1    Hundred in glut
2    Moving down low via membrane-covered opening (10, two words)
4    End of term
7    Sloth supporting spine in tree (7)
8    Matter occupying barbaric horde (5)
9    Measured strength of songbird, valued (8)
10    A carol in a broadcast relating to priesthood (9)
16    Alloy in groove cut by men, not badly (11, hyphened)
18    Power within me rises (3)
19    Object enthralling learner, thick rhizome (10, two words)
20    Managing trick during opening line (9, two words)
23    Charm in admission (8)
25    Eggs broken by alien
27    Motion of horse when unhappy disrupting exercises (7)
28    Channel unknown south of Saskatchewan’s borders? (3)
30    Current speed of light
31    Risk in North America splitting Republicans (5, two words)
36    Slave ends in the catacombs in Rome (4)
 
A first prize of £30 for the first correct solution opened on 25 January. There are two runners-up prizes of £20. (UK solvers can choose to receive the latest edition of the Chambers dictionary instead of cash— ring the word ‘dictionary’.) Entries to: Crossword 2242, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP. Please allow six weeks for prize delivery.