Two of the eight unclued entries, appropriately placed, were likened to two others by a name hidden in the grid. The other four unclued entries are thematic. Unchecked letters could be arranged to spell ‘NO VAIN OAP MISBELIEVER, HIM’.
Across
1 Treated ATMs etc like cash cows (4,7)
7 Tailless parasite twitching (3)
13 In France you rent by day, as instructed (7)
15 Shy cat leaving second small rodent (5)
17 Deliver German plough (6)
18 Absolute maniacs shedding clothes (5)
20 Reportedly conceal girl in hotels (6)
21 Tiny creature, part of agamid genus (5)
22 Cleanse thoroughly and prevent case of gangrene (7)
27 Finish work corralling wildebeest from the east (4,3)
29 Last of three cycling hit road (5)
30 Losing heart, Sheik and Nigerian bishop go downhill in winter (6)
32 Redesign chart for mechanical device (5)
34 Tempted American with sex in the sack (6)
38 Somali worried about right way to communicate with the deaf (7)
39 Tower said to be thing of great beauty (6)
40 Triumphed without compunction, essentially (3)
41 Unoriginal finding: rally infiltrated by detectives (11)
Down
3 Colour of country wine (6,3)
4 Guy finally made waves in The Bletchley Circle, perhaps (4-8)
5 Support English drunkard, drinking quietly (7)
6 Time to stop annoying sleeping partner perhaps inhaling drug (8)
7 Herb season announced (5)
8 Some idyllic Russian vineyards (4)
9 Perhaps howling wind up Nile? (6)
10 Clear throat in company? That’s disgusting (5)
12 Wet, copper-coated penny (6)
14 Doctor outing cousin, not close (12)
19 Mum yells angrily about Bill’s trick (4,1,5)
21 Chap loves to engage a fellow in single combat (4,1,4)
23 Hearing row about husband being less inhibited (8)
25 Silence over upturned anchor, cause of trip (6)
26 Led you and me to this place on delta (7)
28 Real monster I raised to lead (2,4)
33 Absolutely unimpressed at first by fashionable hormone (5)
35 Stuck-up softies sweat (4)
Download a printable version here.
A first prize of a £30 John Lewis voucher and two runners-up prizes of £20 vouchers for the first correct solutions opened on 7 July. 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 2708, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP.
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