2642: A cipher to decode

The unclued lights (including one of three words, one of two words, two hyphened and one pair) have nothing in common.

Across

11 Get sober people welcoming sober person home (6)

12 Litotes newspaper plugs seem so funny (7)

15 Poser’s strain (6)

18 Distributed case for delicate key (5)

19 Engineers, mature but not weak, assemble again (7)

23 Yale men amended hydrocarbon (7)

24 Dyes quiet clothing queen returned (6)

25 Scientist’s anxiety with traveller (8)

26 Relative admits unknown crime in legal institution (5,3)

27 Moan from Sun King, grabbing queen a whiskey (6)

28 Second judge computing speed (3-4)

33 A failing besetting a miser, ultimately? (7)

34 Old men like to follow photographer (5)

37 You look, we hear, for African land (6)

39 Wicked, base convict – flipping criminal! (7)

40 Painter after long periods (6)

41 Flog monk here, we hear (4)

42 Fancy conceits for delivery method (1-7)

Down

1 People looking good: Turkic people one leaves (6)

2 Ear’s somewhat noticeable (4)

3 Flavours men added to mugs (6)

4 Swallows and gnus let out (7)

5 Move gently around your paths for aircraft (10)

6 Rescue judge again? (6)

8 Votes against holding large crowns for bard (5)

9 Famous spring presently in Kingston’s borders (4-5)

10 Fly – set off twice (6)

14 Add numbers to one cracking pageant, oddly (8)

21 Troops in rear ordered fries with ale (8)

22 One clergyman upset furniture? It’s true (9)

27 Fur coats are very possible to 6 (7)

29 Beat Chinese people up in police station (6)

30 Scot’s brewing tea loudly under gangways (6)

31 Like some fevers gravedigger reported (6)

Download a printable version here.

A first prize of £30 for the first correct solution opened on 11 March. There are two runners-up prizes of £20. 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 2642, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP.