Giant Crossword

Across

9 In which you peevishly tell off-colour jokes? (3,6)

10 Had been on the stage, it seemed (8) 12 See you give the key to the agent (4) 13 Various phases in pre-mechanised transport (6)

14 Tell you again a tree fell on it (7)

15 The child creeps about inside, discovering what few know (3,6)

17 Game to repair a bell that’s outside the entrance (9)

18 Having a breather again, I step out (7) 20 From a foreign city, right back in a shake! (6) 21 Shut up and eat! (4)

24 Went back to the grass surrounding the green (8)

26 Given all the information, acted as substitute for (6,2)

28 Having compassion, you say, for a hunted animal (4)

29 Refuse the stretcher (6)

31 Setting a snare, I caught a potential killer (7) 34 Passed, having had more than one’s fair share of (9)

36 Put the racket on the seat and made oneself at home (7,2)

38 The preliminary, opening moves put one in jeopardy (7)

39 Tips me in and that changes things (6) 40 Blew, we’re told, down (4)

41 Decide, though it’s close (8)

42 Have you understand you won’t be given tick (3,6)

Down

1 Really good match wood all round (4-4) 2 Boob raised by scholars (4-2)

3 Once on the move, switch in to music (8) 4 Fear the fellow has a just claim to it (6) 5 Not so bad that you can’t overlook it? (8) 6 Season, before taking to table, the Chinese food (6,4)

7 Yet the former contains baby clothes (7) 8 Remove the end section in particular (6) 11 Having been squashed, the hat is moved below (7)

16 Banished from, I became a guide (6) 19 Very steep and you turn away from (5) 20 Man who’s always on his own? (3)

22 No, no! Come back around lunchtime for something to eat (5)

23 From the stand point alone of the animal (6)

25 Speak your mind? (5,5) 26 Supporting by reason of (3) 27 From smart exterior to a messy interior: very disordered (7) 30 Coming round again looked after, having offered to (8) 31 Something to counteract the love potion? (8)

32 Speak about the poetry written by the lag? (8)

33 Draw, at the top of the leaflet (7) 35 Use me to upset the scheme (6) 36 Rub out the phonetic pronunciation of ‘vehicle’ (6)

37 The lump, old and gnarled, hack off (6)