THE GIANT CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

12 Regrettably, upsetting the teller (3,2,6)

13 Close by the fellow there’s a gun (6)

14 Car that smooths all the bumps on the road? (6)

16 For food, bring back some hamburgers (4)

17 Game is to offload, then get away quickly (3,3,3)

18 The results of not using hand cream, guys! (5)

19 A nail found in the food? (4)

20 On which injury victim is drawn out? (9)

22 See returning with this key, to enter (5)

23 Spell out that you’ll remove all the decorations? (4,5)

27 Be embracing heart-throb and whisper (7)

30 ‘Smaller’ without its last two letters (6)

31 Security device: timer that’s lost its top (4)

32 Animal, Eastern, put on show (5)

35 Found in the garden, they don’t sound like bees! (4)

36 Spoke in defence of the arrogant (5-2)

38 Unable to go to work (or so you say) (4)

39 Sturdy stem (7)

42 Jack, having been given a posting, is not here (6)

45 As an expedient, Ed turns dog loose inside (5)

46 Trap seen, worried, ran back into (7)

47 Madame, when master left, ordered cheese (4)

48 For ‘29’, gentle catch (4)

50 Deserts from fight, is captured by revolutionaries (7)

52 A fabricated name (5)

54 Occupying troops, you also say, are infuriating (6)

56 Yelled out when she had grabbed (7)

57 Crazy about vegetarian food (4)

59 Having bleached one’s hair and lost weight (7)

61 Manage to get firm, going to gym (4)

64 Pity it’s a fake note (5)

66 Creating a palindrome is an achievement (4)

67 Shell out or, for once, hang on to (6)

69 Iranian spear I ground to a point (7)

72 The Capri trip day before was a real bargain (4,5)

73 A batch grow up without women (5)

74 Opening one at night to let air in (9)

79 Drink hard drinker imbibes (4)

81 ‘65 Down’ beams, listening to (5)

82 Is gossip spread on it, in the nursery? (9)

83 Is going to leave (4)

85 Go on about birds returning to (6)

86 Bent on getting a number into the marquee (6)

87 Difficult to get one’s head around — or one’s fingers (4,2,5)

DOWN

1 Fine or just mediocre (4)

2 Steady after blast-off, contacting earth (6)

3 Employed by newspaper, he gives notice (6)

4 Moved its wings and one panicked (7)

5 What jewel thief is after (small-time one) (5)

6 Early morning air? (4,6)

7 A reproof — or the cane (5)

8 Mostly where child learning to cycle must concentrate (2,7)

9 Adversities that came doubly in the twenties (7)

10 Having no obstacles for riders is dull (4)

11 What the delightful retriever is doing? (8)

15 What made you think that basin is out to catch rain? (6)

21 Steer erratically, in short (5)

24 Leaves in the fridge? (7)

25 Having divulged the secret, wept (6)

26 As alternative to skirts, doesn’t work (6)

28 I will recite the passage (5)

29 Is forced to find a shelter in hot sun (3)

33 Manage to locate when you read quickly through (3,4)

34 Am, after rest, swimming in the water (6)

37 Shanghai newspaper (5)

40 Run after and bag outside hospital (5)

41 Again is eager to accommodate family members (7)

43 Book taken by everyone to the seaside (5)

44 Went off back home to the daily grind (6)

46 Support and give comfort to the Left (5)

49 Drop fruit, having bumped into (7)

51 Some of the ground staff making regular patrols (6)

53 Soldier called round, furious (6)

55 Oo, sweetie! (5)

58 What torment acrophobia is, when standing on cliff edge? (5,5) 60 An animal file is mentioned (3)

62 Braid top of pony tail badly (5)

63 Take revenge later, making comeback at a tie break (9)

65 Figure the bird is hiding and lift (8)

68 We is and so is they! (6)

70 Is he more intelligent than non-cheating card players? (7)

71 Evokes and I’m bursting into tears (7)

75 Right back with more potpourri, in a shake (6)

76 Reduces by a pound the worse damaged (6)

77 Given a hand, coped with (5)

78 Dropping a canape: mixed nut (5)

80 So this is disregarded by us (4)

84 Flog when the pound has rallied (4)