One unclued light, a term for any member of a group to which two unclued lights belong, can be divided into three words; each of these has two synonyms among the remaining unclued lights.
Across
11 Last moment, still in terrible hole, hurt (12, two words)
12 Sandpiper needing energy in migration (5)
14 Children walk dog around (7)
16 Month in Spain, mostly quiet (4)
17 Greeting laws debarring united exodus (5)
22 Pay out, having arranged bus rides (8)
23 Country surrounded by sea with name for jellyfish (7)
24 Breeches king wears in accordance with custom (6)
25 Bloom in dish carried by old man (6)
27 Tool and nut with number back in box (7)
33 Witch in great state of discomfort (6)
34 Money held by bank returned in transfer (5)
35 Part of gala I considered non-professional (4)
37 Heavenly city? Area beset by crime (7)
38 Cold evening after sun’s setting (5)
39 Prisoners add to lie, criminally united (12)
40 Begin to grow light beard, following duke (4)
Down
1 Salt covered by seed in basket (6)
2 One with contract getting rid of fine tree (4)
3 Electronic outlets for episodes (6)
4 Arthropods, new and dry, pressed by palm (7)
5 Lack of emotion from soprano under hat covered with gems (10)
6 Believer in systems that roll (7)
8 Flower left for all to see on stage (5)
9 Nurse, dust all over the place, unpacked (9)
10 Hospital in obligation to give infusion (6)
13 Praise is taken up, supporting engineers for remaining (8)
15 Involved in sport in arena, fast and furious (11)
19 Ground in a mess around rough pot (10)
21 Parts of brains in cases packed with earth revolt learner (9)
26 Finally, after support, raised crossbow (7)
28 Complain, upset over habitual response concerning action (7)
30 Man in stockade missing odd features in cases (6)
31 Green colour erased in confusion (6)
32 Twice close to wild ox (5)
A first prize of £30 for the first correct solution opened on 12 November. There are two runners-up prizes of £20 (or, for UK solvers, the latest edition of The Chambers Dictionary — ring the word ‘Dictionary’). Entries to: Crossword 2086,
The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP. Please allow six weeks for prize delivery.
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