BRAINBUSTER

NO 1020

ACROSS

1 Disaster (11)

7 Pretty (9)

12 Got even (7)

16 Heart chambers (5)

17 Appearing to be (7)

18 Vespa, eg (7)

20 Not as damp (5)

21 To-and-fro service (7)

22 In dreamland (6)

25 Venerate (6)

26 Re: sound (5)

27 How-to event (13)

30 Velvet-like leather (5)

31 Wobble (6)

33 Bloodsucking fly (6)

35 Curved shape (3)

36 Likely to catch fire (11)

39 Of time passed (3)

41 Web-footed birds (5)

42 Century plants (5)

44 Cashier (6)

46 Of the same kind (11)

50 The intervening period (8) 52 Makes airtight (5)

55 Snouts (5)

56 In pieces (5)

57 Plant anchor (4)

59 First Greek letter (5)

60 Move like a dervish (5)

61 Clock reading (4)

62 Desert hill (4)

63 Form of quartz (5)

64 Level to the ground (4)

65 Cosy corner (6)

68 Skilful (4)

69 Close (4)

70 Actor’s text (6)

73 Supply with weapons (3) 75 Relaxed (4-5)

78 Pig’s home (3)

79 Female sheep (3)

80 Hair-styling substance (3) 81 The . . . (Hobbits’ home) (5) 82 African antelope (3)

85 Trapping device (5)

87 Scallions (5)

89 Display (4)

91 Merciful (7)

92 Melody (4)

93 Sulk (4)

94 Salsa or tango (5)

95 Bit of parsley (5)

96 Outlet (4)

97 US courtroom panel (4)

98 Lift (7)

100 Fell (4)

102 Remove (5)

103 Pointed a weapon (5)

105 Wrestling surface (3)

107 Command (5)

109 Central part (comb form)

(3)

110 Wonder (3)

112 Historical period (3)

114 Tsarinas (9)

118 Eminem’s music genre (3) 120 Puzzling question (6)

122 Maize (4)

123 Remove skin (of fruit) (4) 125 Network (6)

127 Boyfriend (4)

128 Group of eight (5)

129 Boat propellers (4)

130 Surrender (4)

131 Follow (5) 132 Strong wrapping

paper (5)

133 Ballet dress (4)

134 Hygienic (5)

136 Winter wrap (5)

139 Banquet (5)

141 Dead-end (3-2-3)

143 Accountable (for) (11) 145 Intuits (6)

147 Scoundrel (5)

148 Soil (5)

150 Wolf down (3)

151 Wedding attendants (11) 153 Scarlet (3)

154 Thick-trunked tree (6) 157 Prickle (6)

160 Sweetener (5)

161 Smug (4-9)

164 Skin blemishes (5)

166 Knight’s suit (6)

167 Sturdily built (6)

168 Grinning (7)

172 Suspect’s elsewhere

excuse (5)

173 Rendered placid (7)

174 Vacancy (7)

175 Pungent veggie (5)

176 Divisions of a game of

cricket (7)

177 Set right (9)

178 SA sweet treats (11)

DOWN

1 Grips (6)

2 Despotic (10) 3 Hanging structures in caves (11) 4 Determination (7) 5 Come before (in time) (7) 6 Way out (4) 7 Captures (inf) (4) 8 Adapt (to) (8) 9 International sports contest (4)

10 Wood-splitting tool (4)

11 Creams (7)

12 OR Tambo, eg (7)

13 Official approval (11)

14 Fashionable celebrities (10) 15 Originate (from) (6)

19 Coagulate (4)

23 . . . the thought (may it

never be) (6)

24 Ditto (abbr) (2)

25 Travel lodging options (6) 28 Wrestling hold (6)

29 Tapers off (6)

32 . . . the line (obey) (3)

34 Model (8)

35 Subsequently (10)

37 Apprentice (8)

38 Giggling (8)

40 Egg dish (8)

43 Poseidon’s domain (3)

45 Offer a service (6)

47 Type of cricket delivery (6) 48 Spain (www) (2)

49 Beside (4,2)

51 Take into custody (6)

53 Ground (4)

54 Overnight train

compartment (7)

56 Put in order (7)

58 Number of a pair (3)

61 Bitumen (3)

66 Surrendered (11) 67 Flower vessels (5)

71 Repeating series (5)

72 Not relying on support (11) 74 Extravagantly theatrical

play (9)

76 Skin condition (4)

77 Convent resident (3)

78 Defeat resoundingly (inf)

(9)

82 Small beam of light (5)

83 Not given food (5)

84 Military-style hat (5)

85 Vapour (5)

86 Thing of value (5)

88 Tennis division (3)

90 Route (3)

92 Twitch (3)

93 Sweet or savoury baked

item (3)

97 Precious stone (5)

99 Docile (4)

101 Papaver flower (5)

103 Take a recess (7)

104 Deciduous broad-leafed

tree (3)

106 Become airborne (4-3) 108 Paid back (10)

111 Three-wheeled vehicle (8) 113 Insurgents (6)

114 Contrive (8)

115 Ornate architecture

style (6)

116 Large scissors (6)

117 Glittered (8)

119 Evaluate (6)

121 Female deer (3)

122 Underground burial

site (8)

124 After curfew (4)

126 Plopped down (3)

134 Festival (11)

135 Hearing organ (3)

136 Shovels (6)

137 Indefinite article (2)

138 Deciding events in

tournaments (6)

140 Stormy (11)

142 Legal action (10)

143 Tyre material (6)

144 Christian festival (6)

146 Make more aerodynamic

(10)

149 Light brown (3)

152 Jewel mounts (8)

155 Gradual adoption

of ideas (7)

156 (Torn) apart (lit) (7)

158 Revere highly (7)

159 Grievances (7)

160 African wildlife tour (6) 162 Stardom (4)

163 Francium (symbol) (2)

165 Inclines (6)

168 Rivet (4)

169 Run in neutral (4)

170 Well-mannered (4)

171 Ship level (4)