THIS WEEK’S BIG CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Joke tellers

6. The Hobbit star, … Freeman

11. Front of a ship 13. Water between France and UK, English …

15. Give off energy or light 17. Sequin

18. Reduce in intensity, the storm will … 20. Strongest, the … beliefs 22. Timber-cutting factory 25. Feels the lack of,

… his presence 27. Hindrance to progress 28. Baby’s grow-suit 29. Part of your foot 31. Clairvoyant, prophet 32. Bird’s abode

34. Cult TV series, Star … 35. Be under an obligation, … them a favour 37. Fluorescent light gas 38. Held on to, retained 40. More sensible, a … move

43. From Zurich or Geneva, eg 45. Large drain 47. Happening, occasion 48. Ensnare

50. In this place 52. Originated, … from 53. Join as one 54. Coarser in texture 55. Futuristic genre (3-2) 58. Glided smoothly 60. Fashion icon, … Chanel 62. Moved quickly 64. In repose (2,4) 67. Kinds, types 69. Prepares report for publication

70. Empty, … premises

71. Unhappily

74. Strategy, plan

75. Playing well (2,4)

76. Regard highly

77. More minute

78. As the aforesaid

81. Dog breed, red …

82. Before appointed time

83. Vote into office

86. NSW capital

89. Soak, … up

91. Be brave, … to try

93. Cost tickets, price …

95. Beasts of burden

98. Less smooth, … custard

99. Revise for exams

101. Old land measures

103. Sonnet writer, eg

104. Measures of electricity

105. Balance, composure

107. Gangster duo,

Bonnie and … 109. Sing Alpine-style

112. Co-star of 6. Across, Orlando … 114. Eyelid ailment 115. Gently tastes,

… her drink

117. Go bang

118. Finger jewellery

120. Nought, nil

121. M*A*S*H actor, … Alda

122. Funereal, dark

124. Stay in place

127. Small slender

antelopes

128. Potential buyer

at an auction

130. Is present in class,

… school

133. Coagulated,

the blood …

136. Bout of revelry

137. Old jazz song,

Sweet … Brown

138. Fabric offcut, remnant

139. Planet nearest the Sun 140. 007 movie, For Your …

Only

141. Infuses herbs, eg

142. Real and genuine

DOWN

1. Naturalisations, citizenship … 2. Legendary king with a golden touch 3. Cause hearing loss 4. Affirm, state 5. Period of reduced prices 6. Identified wrongly 7. Touring political campaign, eg 8. Thankless people 9. Jotters, notebooks 10. Cold white flakes 11. Clear, obvious 12. Coober Pedy gems 13. Former name of

Sri Lanka

14. Bitter indignation, rancour

16. Paper hanky 19. More desolate 21. Join up with, … friends 23. Word ending a prayer 24. Telegraphic code 26. Static protest demonstration (3-2) 30. Keep safe from harm 31. Bottoms of shoes 33. Bulge, expand 36. Squirmed

39. Wear away gradually 41. Horse-breeding farm 42. African animal (abbrev) 43. Ghosts, phantoms 44. Fortified Spanish wine 45. Travel down the piste

46. Linger, … around 49. Section of a circle 51. Historical age, a new … 56. Style of cooking, French …, eg 57. Quickest

58. In a trembling way 59. Language of Rome 61. Fish-eating hawks 63. More destitute 65. Soft white cheese 66. Pivots, … on the spot 67. Building’s floors 68. Match official 72. Late heavyweight boxing champion 73. Item for auction 78. Second in charge 79. Submarine’s missile 80. Stressful experience 84. Wanes, reduces 85. Bread scrap 86. Female garment-maker

87. Pride And Prejudice hero, Mr … 88. Posing no difficulty 90. Spanish cheer 92. Furnish with weapons 93. Text entry mistake 94. Thick dirt

96. Seek damages,

… in court

97. Madrid is there

100. Government by the

people, … regime

102. Make higher, raise

106. Exuded, seeped

108. Actress, … Keaton

110. Chose not to (5,3)

111. Concluding section

of a book, eg

113. Hit high, had … the ball

115. Beach grains

116. Unlikely, … dog tale

118. Rapscallions

119. Capricorn symbol

123. Brain-teaser

125. Join in wedlock

126. Garments, … of

clothing

129. Lived in

131. Accepted standard

132. Speak indistinctly

134. Olympic gymnast, …

Korbut

135. Ticket scalper