‘4D!/18A/3D!’ (four words in total) is a quotation from a tale by the author of 9D (three words). Remaining unclued lights give the names of the two protagonists of the tale and that of the 24A in which it was told.
Across
1 Hot wind from Honduras dogging opponent … (5)
6 … in the middle of game nursing chocolate bar (7)
11 Not a Good Friday rite the New Testament pushed hard (10)
13 Earl so rotund cooking thick beef fillet (9)
15 Computer component, quartz in the centre (4)
16 Flowers strike children with wonder, we hear (7)
17 Argonaut, say, having only child at school (7)
19 Bent lictor, one smuggling piece of fossil (10)
27 Noodle a French cook brought in (4)
28 Rix’s speciality stuff (5)
30 Plant sellers in home county Carrie’s man visits (10)
33 Expert pruned maple (3)
35 In Karachi, a small intersection (7)
36 Lord wearing ring and twisted necklace heard to chat lightly in Jamaica (3-4)
37 Retired president skinned whale (4)
38 Make a fetish of slowing down with classy beer one’s getting in (9)
39 Modesty of various Druses men start to extol (10)
40 Influential law officer outside entrance (7)
41 Mary Jane almost through street, running smoothly (5)
Down
1 Lawless Tuck oft hides short pieces of rope (7-7)
2 Quaestor moves in great circles (8)
5 Bill catching fish with help (5)
6 Harper Seven’s sibling somewhere in New York (8)
7 Counsel for Blackbeard (5)
8 We of the Rastamen bringing down a republic (5)
10 Capital jumper clothes unionist – it’s bright orange (6)
12 Choice delicacy thrice daily nibbled (6)
14 Girl from Illinois nut tree shelters (6)
20 Old renovated Southsea place with large oven (4,5)
22 Dan took a meal in the form of rigatoni (6)
23 Immorality the Devil introduced, German is cutting out (8)
25 Rocky crevices growing in size or number (8)
29 Edible bulbs mother put in tin (6)
32 Dropsy made European poorly (5)
34 House without corn in Italian resort (5)
35 Provide food for four no more (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 15 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 2731, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP.
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