THE GIANT CROSSWORD
CHOOSE cryptic clues or quick, the answers are exactly the same. The Solution will appear in MONDAY’S PAPER.
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
13 Nicely dressed, is a good match for (4-6) 14 You get it from not wearing goggles under water? Nonsense! (7) 15 How much to provide backing for the picture? (6) 16 Splash one’s feet in, to act as an emollient (6) 17 Present with fruit, say (7) 18 Am with English company doing circuit: small role (5) 19 Expanded, as the nurseryman did, in business (4) 20 Spotted outside very early in the morning (5) 21 Funny word at end of dictionary meaning ‘obstreperous’ (5) 22 Again taking large-ish, with sauce (6) 23 Why lights went out, but not for long (5) 28 He-cat prowling round outside — male animal (7) 30 Are called in to put things in order (7) 33 Self service and everything is immediate (2,7) 36 Treats as a dentist, or doctor, afflictions (6) 38 Admit everything and cry (5) 39 With gun, poking right in the back (5) 40 Tousle, just to annoy (6) 42 Daughter wrongly seen as stupid (5) 43 The partner caught on? So right! (7) 44 Farm building shown in old book (6) 46 Agrees with the head (4) 49 Called the artist ‘no good’ (4) 51 They are almost all ridiculously jovial (6) 53 At enclosure, arm round one funny-looking creature (7) 55 What went wrong with the knot? (5) 59 A couple of pages are torn, it would seem (6) 60 Falsely incriminate and prepare to hang? (5) 61 Mice, set free, ran inside. That would incur a penalty (5) 62 Foreign fellow lost, wandering in area (6) 63 Speaking personally, make and break party (3,2,4) 65 How you said, frankly, ‘Can’t cut it’? (7) 66 Avoided when wearing a kilt? (7) 70 Pack it in box and put key inside (5) 71 Start to burn and you step on it (6) 73 Pit against Lucifer (5) 75 A second female cat (5) 80 Smudge or rub out figure in (4) 82 Assemble for a religious ceremony (5) 83 From EEC country — European. That’s relevant (7) 84 ‘Bird In Cage’. A painting worth a lot (6) 85 Didn’t allow the girl to get into bed (6) 86 Old person serving time, or bird (7) 87 Be mealy-mouthed and give listeners nothing to chew over? (5,5)
DOWN
1 Take away from and make cry again? (6) 2 No absentees — and with good reason (3,5) 3 Like a joke that’s hard to explain? (5) 4 Enamoured of – fixated (5,2) 5 Dead wrong about gold being very popular (6) 6 Point at and make flush (5) 7 Not as bad a gambler (6) 8 Shrill whistle, perhaps, with which to summon a pet? (7) 9 Not saying a word: giving no sign (6,4) 10 Try, when hemmed in by white vehicle (5) 11 A drive from someone unlikely to win the golfing competition? (4,4) 12 Put away a punnet for her (4) 24 Had status that was ahead of and that embittered (7) 25 Said ‘Silly young girl’ (5) 26 Are why I got confused and totally disorganised (7) 27 Doesn’t pester the Toms and Dicks? (7) 29 Save, so to speak, from the mob (5) 31 Expensive car parts, say (5) 32 Cut at base of leg, has treated (4) 34 Try to get occupancy of flat beside a temple (6) 35 Expected . . . to return a while before Easter (4) 37 A slang translation to English of something on Italian menu (7) 41 Parrying questions about the barricade (7) 45 Cor, British! Briton abroad (6) 47 Treatment received when he gatecrashed rough party (7) 48 Family background and school not bad all round (7) 50 Think correct to have packed over half in wrapping paper (7) 52 Creature — a little duck — is found inside (4) 54 Interrogate foolish girl: pupil (5) 56 Put No Entry sign on small residential street (5) 57 A lot of traffic (4) 58 Dense undergrowth will prevent further progress (5) 60 Unusually, answering question ‘Why do you go on holiday?’ (3,1,6) 64 A slip of paper? (8) 67 Later on, working one into the narrative (8) 68 Get on right outside bus terminus (7) 69 Investigates backgrounds and allows public to see (7) 72 Knock down and old crone gets broken leg (6) 74 Perturbs, unfortunately, the soldiers within (6) 76 And, retiring, is taken out for a drink (6) 77 Boy having a tantrum (5) 78 Boring people one has in tow (5) 79 Time to take Pip outside (that’s the horse) (5) 81 Charge youth nothing to enter (4)
QUICK CLUES ACROSS
13 Perfect partners (4-6) 14 Nonsense (7) 15 Quantity (6) 16 Make less hard (6) 17 Present (7) 18 Small role (5) 19 Got bigger (4) 20 Number (5) 21 Obstreperous (5) 22 Sauce (6) 23 Brief (5) 28 Wild animal (7) 30 Set in order (7) 33 In quick succession (2,7) 36 Bores holes (6) 38 Permit (5) 39 Back (5) 40 Tousle (6) 42 Stupid (5) 43 Spouse (7) 44 Abode for a horse (6) 46 Agrees (4) 49 Telephoned (4) 51 Jovial (6) 53 Flightless bird (7) 55 Knot (5) 59 Seem (6) 60 Falsely incriminate (5) 61 Offence (5) 62 Area (6) 63 Speaking personally (3,2,4) 65 Frankly (7) 66 Bypassed (7) 70 Stop (5) 71 Char (6) 73 Contest (5) 75 Instant (5) 80 Smudge (4) 82 Gather (5) 83 Relevant (7) 84 Famous artist (6) 85 Prohibited (6) 86 Goose (7) 87 Don’t speak plainly (5,5)
DOWN
1 Take away (6) 2 Compos mentis (3,5) 3 Amusing (5) 4 Enamoured of (5,2) 5 Loved (6) 6 Flat (5) 7 Superior to (6) 8 Audience disapproval (7) 9 Rejection sign (6,4) 10 Wheeled vehicle (5) 11 Unlikely winner (4,4) 12 Female name (4) 24 Continued to annoy (7) 25 Marguerite (5) 26 Crazy (7) 27 Chivvies (7) 29 Crowd (5) 31 Trundles (5) 32 Deep cut (4) 34 Temple (6) 35 Given temporarily (4) 37 Pasta dish (7) 41 Evading questions (7) 45 Cor! (6) 47 Healing treatment (7) 48 Lineage (7) 50 Sanction (7) 52 Amphibian (4) 54 Interrogate (5) 56 Shut (5) 57 A lot (4) 58 Stop vehicle (5) 60 Unusually (3,1,6) 64 Erratum (8) 67 Family member (8) 68 Thrive (7) 69 Shows film (7) 72 Bargain with (6) 74 Frightens (6) 76 Mixed drink (6) 77 Fit of rage (5) 78 Hauls (5) 79 Horse (5) 81 Burden (4)