One of the unclued entries (two words) can be followed by each of the others (two of three words, one of two words), according to Brewer.
 

Across

1    Clean turns into crashes – rash? (8)
8    What goes up, to go down like a lead balloon? (4)
14    Sinn Fein resisted revolutionary drinks (7)
16    Herbivore finally starts to like killing some deer (4)
17    Feminine to back out of awfully shameful dances (5)
18    Spot, catching cat in retreat, is being too dramatic (6)
22    Victory in closely fought double-header may be so (8, hyphened)
23    Moslem keeps avoiding alcohol in Biblical tree (7)
24    Extremely silent before old record player (6)
27    Merge my terribly rare jewels (7)
29    Deceiving manner lecturer’s assumed (8)
33    Backing singer’s achievement is knowledge of the spiritual (6)
34    Man, leaving dung, in charge of the waste product (5)
35    Rodent upset a lamb’s parent (4)
37    Bargain thrown away to secure mad cow (7, hyphened)
38    Spray water on a book (5)
40    PM snubbed qualifier (4)
41    Unamused folk continue to obstruct a good time (8)
 

Down

1    Escort arrived back without Oscar hosts (6)
2    One tenor leaves another some money for Muscat (4)
3    Gauls, perhaps, with King wearing furs (6, hyphened)
4    Eating’s formed these? (7)
5    Kate Moss’s aim perhaps is to ignore mass diet (10)
6    Caviare is located around dishes (7)
8    It’s remarkable to see United in defeat (5)
10    Wager about donkey hunting dog? (6)
13    Raised wood is placed alongside porcelain materials (8)
15    Carriers manage TV monitor (11)
19    Arrogant sweep conceals elevation (10)
20    Perhaps daughter out of clothes leaves (8)
21    Wader – ruff masking height of wings (9)
26    Makes a Spielberg movie – here (7, two words)
28    Prepare to fence most of English forest (7, two words)
30    African union payment made with Greek coin in US city (6)
31    Norse God announces tests (6)
32    Only child sitting up in bed for some embroidery (5)
36    Forward exercises right (4)
 
A first prize of £30 for the first correct solution opened on 5 August. 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 2417, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP. Please allow six weeks for prize delivery.