Unclued lights (including one hyphened) are of a kind. The theme word must be highlighted in the grid.

Across

1    Require clothing true eccentric altered (8)

8    Axes reportedly in bags (4)

11    Anything mischievous gets uncovered (5)

13    Sadly hugging Romeo, starts to offer love and pines (7)

14    Roman scholar in V&A takes over (5)

15    Gangster’s girl from America caught shellfish (7)

17    I demand to pay revered Norse lady (4)

18    Foreign pal’s husband in US 41 (5)

19    Marble bust by current earthwork (7)

23    Albert has hatred for medieval estate (7)

24    Parasite in bouquet given to mother (6)

25    A sailor grasps coppers in compound (8)

26    Part of score – sadly Bali got zero (8)

27    Shrub for e.g. oolong (6)

29    USA needing real changes, generally (2,1,4)

33    Bravery not initially an ancient quality (7)

34    Make an off-peak call in the Alps? (5)

35    Run one? (4)

37    Drop player who’s benched, right? (7)

39    Excessively drunk, welcoming king saw inside this? (7)

40    Setter’s aboard vehicle in coat (5)

41    Class touring Catholic school (4)

42    Time to work in feeble confusion, it’s said (8)

Down

2    Boy held back by Adenauer (4)

3    Extremely tough Bobby’s beats (6)

4    Air a tad corrupted for tree (7)

5    Created aid supply that’s wiped out (10)

6    Doctor on call dealing with reproduction (6)

10    Chief revolutionary has money, going after it (6)

12    Linguist’s idea, awful starter of mixed salad (6,3)

21    Utter rogue with maid making Roman bowl (9)

27    Wan, sober European artist’s colours (7)

28    Comes back in a state – beard’s oddly cut (7)

29    First of 28 via text is the pits (6)

30    I’m amazed, pocketing fifty grand (6)

31    Withdrew assistance of peacekeepers (6)

32    Make foolish Oscar cream cakes (5)

36    Place for flogging English horse (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  6 December. 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 2632, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP. Please allow six weeks for prize delivery. The early deadline is because of the Christmas printing schedule.

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