Paired unclued lights are an author and his eponymous characters. Crossing letters in 7D suggest the name in the title; solvers must correct this, entering the character’s real name by changing the contents of four cells, always making real words.

        Across

   1    A mob alas with disorder of gut (8)

11    I head into transport, and fit into attire (8,4)

14    Silly berk and his containers (7)

15    Table of bard essentially? (5)

16    Invested wager about Serbia’s banks (5)

17    Recover shower curtains say (6)

21    Keeper raced in clothing for soccer (6)

22    Woman’s caught current successor (4)

24    Struggles keeping new plants (5)

25    Foreign article about falsity (5)

27    Like bendy twig, small and magical? (7)

29    Orderly Scot’s mood unknown (4)

30    A clot’s awfully bony? (6)

33    Llama caught in mountain areas (6)

34    Better leave cycling (5)

35    Auditor’s perceived incident (5)

37    Longer tail of Sealyham wagging, or mutt (7)

38    Child by the Spanish fence (5)

39    Bandage patient where toiletries are (8-4)

40    It precedes the final house (4)

41    Yes, cinema’s lead star could be this? (8)

         Down

   1    Hates tailless equid Jack’s mounted (6)

   2    Lantern only around Austria (4)

   3    Mark papers with hasty exegesis (7)

   4    Number is divisible by two (5)

   5    Like doctor mostly nursing one’s heart issue (10)

   6    Old reed is twisted with twigs (7)

   8    One derides shy monarch (5)

   9    At sea, I bash head in boats (9)

10    Endless Asian festival (6)

13    Policemen in Monopoly making killing (8)

15    Detective on beach without job, prepared to sail? (11)

18    Experts making argument that’s artificial (10)

20    Like dry fruit, not dates, in liquid doses, oddly (9)

26    Freest Parisian is following ladies and gents? (7)

28    Cheers very softly, given jewels to hide (7)

32    Bead type – King George dons silver one (5)

33    Against some Bohemian enticement (5)

Download a printable version here.

A first prize of £30 and two runners-up prizes of £20 for the first correct solutions opened on 18 September. 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 2620, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP. Please allow six weeks for prize delivery. The dictionary prize is not available at present.

Get 10 issues for just $10

Subscribe to The Spectator Australia today for the next 10 magazine issues, plus full online access, for just $10.

SUBSCRIBE 10 issues for $10 REGISTER 3 articles a month

Already a subscriber? Log in