Unclued lights name an authoress (two lights), her hero (two lights), his group (one light, two words), and its members (mostly human).

Across

4    Stimulant gets lad near to collapse at home (9)

10    FBI agents after government department: time to clean up files (10)

14    In mill channel pressure rose suddenly (5)

15    Labourer present: success! (5)

16    Makes up clothes I put on (6)

23    Heinous mistakes, not using outside help (2-5)

24    Close down early, but not entirely (4)

25    Idea spread by first person more than once (4)

29    Lambs he’s butchered here? (8)

32    A lad shortly adopts novel defiant posture, so armed (6)

34    Reported killed in small valley (5)

35    Beer at pub, first of a sequence (5)

36    Praise God in holy book with back-to-back articles (7)

37    Call for attention behind the old unfinished tombs (6)

39    Having physio, cry, pummelled in a vice (9)

40    Moving round to the front, very much erect (2,3)

Down

1    Caiaphas, for example, as school chaplain? (4,6)

2    Heath in Spain on one of the Costas (5)

3    Ruling chap following route not in error (6)

4    Stops to wipe marks from part of chair (7)

5    Father full of evil menaces, with steely look (10)

6    Top volume reflecting fury, say (7)

7    Wild grain eaten by some (5)

8    Line on chart shows Arab so ill, getting worse (9)

9    Hooter’s sound I missed (4)

15    Jersey imports extremely marketable fruit (6)

17    Up platforms offering a sea view? (5,5)

18    Air must circulate in vestibules (7)

19    One bum sadly perished, now freed from the flesh? (10)

20    In collection, article on non-eastern religious studies (9)

26    Woman of energy, slim, to court regularly (7)

28    Swallowing a pint, entirely unsuitably (7)

30    Refuse to recognise one’s caught by this type of clue (6)

31    State what I say to secure a husband (5)

34    King, head of state? Ditch shortly (4)

Download a printable version here.

A first prize of £30 and two runners-up prizes of £20 for the first correct solutions opened on  30 October. 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 2626, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP. Please allow six weeks for prize delivery.

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