The unclued entries share a definition. Elsewhere, ignore an accent.

Across

1    Chap primarily revered among classic characters (5)
12    Barrow dropping us with United in gallery to cause a commotion (10)
13    Put a stop to women leaving a vessel I cast off (9)
14    Fine for Cantona? (4)
15    Deli stir fluid to make liquid again (8)
17    Said learned Cockney was criminal (5)
21    German soldier refuelling without English going over (11)
24    Like a fox taking ages to release bird (3)
26    Illness passed quickly, they say (3)
28    Fruit from bitter plant perhaps initially cut back (7)
29    Pill with pillbox, say, in Alberta’s place (8,3)
33    Take two cities to arise periodically (5)
35    Doctor, I don’t mind giving up drug for its examination (8)
37    Compass conceals new craze (4)
38    Affliction when means to access WC’s heard missing in action (9)
39    Unable to read an influential wager (10)
40    Unholy mess if Ed handles paper badly (8)
41    Historian left official at University (5)

Down

2    Knackered bear in the wood finally did so? (10)
3    Cross threshold backwards (4)
4    Who won’t get up presumably surrounded outcrop (6)
5    Impartial monarch’s work involving scruffy child (4,7)
7    The Spanish breaking laws in bedchambers (7)
8    Make an observation extreme (5)
9    Spoil these chairs to provide daisies (8)
10    Extremely alcoholic ship becomes dry? (9)
11    Building set lacks no magnet for the devoted (5)
18    Tucked into refreshing drink, cycling (3)
19    Not approving poor visual pun by earl (10)
20    Main drags combed for musical instruments (9)
23    One eggs on fantastic creature per se (2,6)
27    College obsolete without original thought (7)
28    Small plastic sheet holds ice lolly together (3)
30    Shrines folk placed in prepared ground (6)
31    Garment worn to 11 (one hour in the morning) (5)
36    Is the writer dead within? (4)

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A first prize of £30 and two runners-up prizes of £20 for the first correct solutions opened on  1 May. 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 2600, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP. Please allow six weeks for prize delivery.