Last year we lost a popular 39 of stage and screen. 18A/16 (four words in total) and 10/18A/15 (five words in total) are titles linked with the 39. 25 is the name16, while the remaining unclued lights give the name of the 39. A closely linked name (two words) will appear diagonally in the grid and must be shaded.
Across
1 Old trombones only big bags must hold (8)
6 Watercolourist blunt and rude (6)
12 Investigating all parts of Sixth Avenue, note absent rioting (10)
13 Nameless blade upset Nigerian (4)
14 Archaic statue of us in Greek island (6)
17 Dismantle and remove some oleander I grew (5)
20 Rooms with seats by SW river — dare to swim in it (7)
21 Embroidery is rather bulkier in form (7)
23 Every old penny I used up (7, two words)
24 Antique set contains pair in blue (5)
27 Magazine for footballers (7)
30 Less trusty rugged nature cure (not ace) (7)
32 Adept mother fixing stovepipe? (7)
36 Annoyed king I preceded (5)
37 Beast circling public walk advanced (5)
38 Wine bottles HM has for function (6)
40 Maybe too many opiates fatigue guru (10)
41 One in Iona having caught disease (4)
Down
1 He-man unknown to take a course of education (5)
2 Sky pilot from Sri Lanka partnering aircraftsman (5)
3 Roll starts to bake evenly inside and take shape (6)
4 Thursday? That’s fine for chummy (5)
5 Old Yemeni striped cloth John stocks (7)
7 Lines of nasty bolshies leaving Britain (7)
8 Utter support is part of service (6, hyphened)
9 Department tightly screened part of letter (9)
11 Simple baritone befuddled with ale (11)
18 Artistic Scots do, Spanish painter snubbed (6)
19 Lenses of a design jazz fans executed? (8)
21 Only empty men and very old women promise to be chaste? (9, two words)
22 Low journalist wailed (6)
26 Donkey meets badger in compound (7)
28 Mailer’s works in kitchen-sink style (7)
29 I cut speed in central Basrah (6)
31 Native American sleuth trails twisted gang (6)
33 A sweetfish or ferocious fish? (5)
34 Canine swallowed food and stuff (5)
35 Early aircraft reached Lima (5)
A first prize of £30 for the first correct solution opened on 1 February. There are two runners-up prizes of £20. (UK solvers can choose to receive the latest edition of the Chambers dictionary instead of cash— ring the word ‘dictionary’.) Entries to: Crossword 2243, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP. Please allow six weeks for prize delivery.
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