This is Doc’s 700th crossword in the weekly series. The unrelated unclued lights (including one pair and two proper nouns) display this number.

        Across

4      Old nonsense played on the violin by earl by river (6-2-3)

11    White spirit which Travis Head initially put on part of dartboard (7)

12    A French girl returns first to old shallow lake (6)

14    Small cigar without a shell (5)

16    Black market trader’s location (5)

19    Lots of books (7)

21    Fruit – or two, we hear (4)

23    Local hawker having time with loudmouth (7)

24    Article detailed Thailand and its location (4)

25    Creche facilities ready to be deployed round about (3,4)

30    Biro or Bic for Saki, say (3,4)

31    Gamble, but cut it fine (4)

32    Poor socialite is missing purgative medicine (7)

34    Callaghan hosts a Turkish commander (4)

35    Spoke of Cardinal’s fabric (7)

37    Big cat at bay? (5)

40    Russian unit, experienced it’s said (5)

41    Let loose with crumpled Brillo pad, say (5,4)

43    Strong desire shown by Gardner and Condoleezza (7)

44    Chilli and black plum cooked on ascent (6,5)

        Down

   1    Boys caught in street light when the Welsh celebrate (2,6,3)

   2    Jack may be in it – the TV, of course (3,3)

   3    Fibre one’s covered in tar, almost (5)

   5    Bird losing head and part of foot (4)

   6    Fifty-two cards on floor of ship (4)

   7    Minstrels topped US woodwind players (7)

10    Linear C oddly needing no encryption (2,5)

17    Another Etonian’s confined to that place (7)

20    Means to close entrance to labyrinth? (7)

27    Thoroughly investigate – don’t scratch the surface! (3,4)

28    Oddly champ virtually reveals stock of money (7)

36    One in bed’s getting up, indifferent to pain (5)

38    Roots of remarkable victory (4)

39    One tight-lipped about stuff changing hands (4)

Download a printable version here.

A first prize of £30 and two runners-up prizes of £20 for thefirst correct solutions opened on 10 July. 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 2610, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP.

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