Seven unclued lights (all real words) are 36s minus one letter. A further 36 formed from the omitted letters will appear in the completed grid and must be shaded.

Across

1    Confederate creeshes wheels (8)
5    Poem (anonymous) involving ship in port (6)
9    Crooked creep with agent making profit (10)
16    Tinware company backed predator (6)
17    A new Troy with aged columns (5)
20    Bovine in old poem digs up underground stem (7)
24    Author noticed a probable 36 in Shakespeare (7)
25    Medical process still reducing sickness (5)
26    Some admit a layman translated Bible (5)
28    Language of goon pierced by short dagger (7)
31    Reformer from Zimbabwe at home wanting tissue (7)
33    Stars mingled in store (7)
37    Plant pruned behind (5)
38    Jade beginning to complain about plant (5)
39    US admiral in university in New Zealand (6)
41    Sad herald into what’s mournful (10)
42    Fellow cockney wall builder? (6)
43    By chance romping girl wins Oscar by miles (8)

Down

1    Pansy pirating crazy graffitist’s art? (5-8)
2    Crowd from Costa Rica with one absent (5)
3    Plant in most of African country (6)
4    Moral significance of specified people cycling (5)
6    Poor evidence acquitting northern cheat (7)
8    Tarry road needs work (4)
10    Ailment only German nursemaid catches (6)
11    Moderately stunted cardinal shuts a small low window (9)
12    Mike scatted very accurately with no developed melody (13)
13    Excited Romeo and nice Juliet about to jabber? (8)
15    Ancestor of magnificent Man Friday? (7)
19    Dismal cop spoiled hymnal (9)
21    Chairman hugging honey with capital gets cross in Rio (8)
23    Difficult work in a unit in Guy’s? (7)
27    A gossip overheard colouring stuff (7)
32    Two girls – one pulled up bush (3-3)
34    Tree of heaven trimmed carelessly (5)
35    Hundred in trim go up in the Cairngorms (5)

A first prize of £30 and two runners-up prizes of £20 for the first correct solutions opened on 20 February. Please scan or photograph entries and email them (including the crossword number in the subject field) to crosswords@spectator.co.uk, or post to: Crossword 2590, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP. Please allow six weeks for prize delivery. The dictionary prize is not available at present.

Download a printable version here.