THE BIG CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Fractures 4 Enfold (4,2) 8 Bodily joint 12 Unbeatable 14 Relief 15 Authenticated stamps 17 Wave close to shore 18 Former pupils 19 Obnoxious 23 Still in (cricket) (3,3) 25 Putrefying 28 Long pile, of carpet 29 Benevolent 30 Bear witness to 32 Duty 34 Leash 35 Brotherhood 38 Russian guitar 40 Dwarf tree 41 Transmitted 44 Fruit; colour 46 Famous reindeer 48 Braid 51 Disease 52 Cheap 53 Short and stout 54 Strong as an ox 55 Burden

DOWN

1 Obesity 2 Corridor 3 King hit 5 Abrades 6 Call for help 7 Exceed 8 First-class 9 Sweeping implement 10 Internal mechanism 11 Reject 13 Sediment 16 Green fruit 20 Fair-minded 21 Church giving 22 Absconds 24 Pain of childbirth 26 Offends 27 Carnival 31 Improvement 33 Unlawfully 36 Found repugnant 37 Summarise 39 Capsize; ___ over 42 Connected 43 Cover as with cloth 45 Photograph book 47 Fibbing 48 Inside of the hand 49 Is unwell 50 Inform