The unclued lights (five of two words which include three apostrophes) can be preceded by the same word, all confirmed in Chambers and/or Brewer.

Across

11 A record bill, getting a pack animal (6)

12 Earthling beginning to excavate rock formation (7)

14 What contains oxygen and is able to girdle the Earth? (5)

15 Oddly, St Thomas in porticos (5)

16 Currency unknown to ethnic group abroad (6)

17 Jock’s meant to have decided without son (6)

21 Fabric dealer removes power from ambitious governmental worker (7, hyphened)

24 Moving into gear, I start (9)

29 Small change for a European banking system, once (7)

30 Performance – tear one into shreds (9)

32 Lead and tin train tracks (6)

35 Equipment to determine liquid’s density having website, reportedly (5, hyphened)

36 Police department catching villain at last with a stinger (5)

38 Interference in stable (6)

39 Hot-tempered and awfully sleepy around noon (7)

40 In Germany, they must have seen new school of painting (7)

Down

1 Waves spoil small rooms, we’re told (7)

2 Brief period of enchantment (5)

3 Army cook snubs fine foreign food (4)

4 English firm squandered monies – time to do this? (9)

5 Unusual first-name with Mr I. Dennis in Neighbours (6)

6 Marine creature I brought in on a regular basis, nothing less (8, two words)

7 Playfully important, he sounds serious (6)

8 Shakespeare’s matching knight gabbling outside (10)

9 She flew solo, climbing with such abandon? (8, two words)

10 Ornament wild Ted smashed (7)

18 Paddle been repaired and can be relied on (10)

23 Final change of venue at start of Lent (8)

25 The brightness dairy can give (8)

26 Exercises before a race which excite audiences (7, hyphened)

27 Spenser’s favour when larger than life cricketer changes his top (7)

28 Court succeeded with headphone and 3-D image (6, two components)

29 Among jobs one puts forward (6)

31 Precious stone etched with silver (5)

34 Spanish province dropping bargain knitwear (4)

A first prize of £30 for the first correct solution opened on 8 November. 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 – the dictionary prize is not available. We will accept postal entries again at some point.

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