2566: Somewhere XII

Somewhere in 23D 30 July is important. Remaining unclued lights (including two pairs and a trio) give the place’s capital city, one of its volcanoes, an indigenous reptile and its national anthem. Its former name (three words) appears diagonally in the completed grid and must be shaded. Elsewhere, ignore an apostrophe.

Across

1 Observe switch in fashion (4)

7 Brit abroad demolished fibros (6)

12 Lion beginning to nibble wader (5)

13 Jenny produces a lot of herrings (250) (5)

15 Secure sheep that’s penned (3,2)

18 Loose covers partly dry (4)

20 Harrow titan loses it (4)

21 Groom accepts alien child (3-4)

22 Fabric had by Lady of Shalott? (7)

23 Boundary abutted Spain (4)

24 Mallards spoken of in Toledo? (5)

27 The lost letter (3)

28 Increase in twisted heartless creatures (4-2)

32 Sheep less shorn (3)

37 Half of beer – Brit’s first drink (5)

40 Highlander all but insanely flinging (7)

41 Coloured Irish flower with tendrils (7)

44 Thrash in Argyll? (4)

45 Lout almost eighteen (4)

46 Corrie’s Hilda in hamlet near Halifax (5)

47 Some bel emits resin (5)

48 Queen wearing line in pale yellow (5)

49 Fools with lost marbles (6)

50 Inherently non-U operative (2,2)

51 Rotter upset many (4)

Down

1 Legless putti skip about gaily (5)

2 On the radio signal hummed (7)

3 Pig has little one in Germany (7)

5 Mama’s brother women undo (6)

6 Short Hibernian lass … (4)

8 … played pantaleon virtually, needing no effort (2,1,5)

9 Thin smoke makes insect perish (6)

10 One busy nun catching sergeant fish? (7)

17 Song told a tale (4)

19 Clothes stand (3-2)

25 State of my Argive priestess (4)

26 Emir sporting thong (4)

27 Slack Basil and Eve up for shirking (8)

29 Slip priest money (5)

31 What good better or butter might be? (2,1,4)

33 Just Joanna (7)

34 Maybe father’s inside imbibing novel measure (7)

35 Prosecutor in river endures cold (6)

37 Fruit travelling salesman cored (4)

38 Crude yobbism not unknown by youngsters (6)

42 Irish town being outside Ulster (5)

A first prize of £30 for the first correct solution opened on 15 August.