A 21-word exchange appears (apart from two words) in nine unclued entries. The other unclued entry specifies one of the participants. In ten clues the wordplay ignores one letter. These letters, in grid order, spell out the source of the exchange and of the original inspiration. Ignore three apostrophes in the completed puzzle.

 

Across

1 Resorts making lady sip mocha in a new way (12, two words)

12 British proprietor keeps apparently wrapping material (10, two words)

14 Corrupt planet, obscuring sun (3)

15 Sport’s greater rule: tittle-tattle (8)

17 Sacred text, a Latin one, translated (5)

18 Moon at the end of the interval (7)

19 Lobster’s claws caught a heel nastily (6)

22 Change of course made of metal (6)

24 Morocco application by French philosopher rejected (5)

26 Town regularly found in fertile spot by earth at the seaside (9)

27 Experimental style I practise (9)

29 Giving away present follower didn’t own (5)

31 Iron extracted from very great amount of jam? (6)

34 Gross, like Charlie’s home? (6)

36 Initially, Lionel backed this player surprisingly to get Ballon d’Or? (7)

38 Italian actress comes from Florence (5)

39 Lad changing axis of his transporter (8, hyphened)

40 Imagine this number divided by pi (3)

41 Supports posh girl almost being enthralled by unlikely types? (10)

42 Where Esau starts to provide millions? (4)

43 School mums in a spin after programme (12)

 

Down

2 Where a dismount may go wrong (10, three words)

3 Greek chess champion taking second place in Turkey? (7)

4 Briefly destroy a rising, begorra (5)

6 Geek runs into a tree (6)

8 Bird blocked by rook is wader (4)

13 Dance like a sponge, or like another invertebrate (12)

16 Term for extreme old age (3)

20 Oscar-winning fish headed off to go wandering? (6)

23 Won’t it 14 maverick? (9, hyphened)

25 We hear sacked teacher did not explode (8)

32 I refuse 40 of the Medici family (3)

33 Tender President wastes time (5)

35 ‘Sikh’ by this composer sounds like something one can play (5)

 

A first prize of £30 for the first correct solution opened on 31 January. 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. Apologies that there may be a delay in sending out prizes at present.

 

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