Eight unclued lights, arranged symmetrically, comprise two quartets, one of which makes the other go round.

 

Across

1 How much poor Matthew has aged (14, three words)

11 What’s got blowers regularly engaged? (5)

13 Cheeky make-up (5)

14 Nothing fresh about first social reformer (7)

15 Some change local larder outside flat (10)

17 Blame husband for going in basin (5)

21 View rascal across floor (6, two words)

23 Partner works both ways (4)

26 Brown primates hold one back (5)

27 Clean up exposed broken bones (5)

28 Stone set in epoxy not backed (4)

30 Encouragement to prima donna, a lady (6)

36 Place of beauty offering relief and ecstasy (5)

38 Offal vendors trash wide sign (10, hyphened)

39 Former international clasped by infatuated spinster (7, two words )

40 Frail mobile having threads (5)

42 Small bit of self-indulgence (5)

43 Changing plea, the French getting English money once (14, hyphened)

 

Down

1 Source admitting spy reasoned soundly (14, hyphened)

2 Stop pursuing snake that’s found on road (7)

3 Prepare veg in a tin pot, dal being boiled (10, three words)

4 Sword fashioned with nothing dropped (6)

5 Serious screen villain (5)

7 Expert oddly picked out Andrew on exercises (5)

8 Flying, cutting south when lost (5, hyphened)

9 Untutored rank exalted greener reforms (8,6)

16 Singers hot, wearing stiff fibre (5)

18 Soon clergymen will be defrocked (4)

19 Point about no-good German poet that’s left to conform (10, three words)

22 Can begin to rally after loud defeat (5)

25 Internees in exchange from the south (4)

29 Holy men unexpectedly spotted Ray? (7)

32 Intermittently steered away to initiate proceedings (6, two words)

33 Fume over finishing after new marriage vow (5)

34 Edmund’s torch held by homesteaders (5)

35 Tiny animals upset when an adult goes astray (5)

 

A first prize of £30 for the first correct solution opened on 14 February. There are two runners-up prizes of £20. Please scan or photograph entries and email them (including the crossword number in the subject field) to crosswords@spectator.co.uk — the dictionary prize is not available. We will accept postal entries again at some point.

 

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