THE GIANT CROSSWORD

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CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

13 Particularly not the converse of ‘the lion’s share’ (5,2,3) 14 Promise, first, to carry the cases (7) 15 Idea is, for score, he must get ball inside (6) 16 Hesitates to swear, hazy about figure (6) 17 Wobble male singer is concealing (7) 18 Be getting all confused about the identification (5) 19 Stare at key hole to the left of it (4) 20 I had backed favourite previously: ‘Not So Hot’ (5) 21 Stop for patient to swallow last of medicine (5) 22 Note dog is following herdsman (6) 23 Find a partner for the game (5) 28 Betting bachelor will accommodate the relations (7) 30 Blanking out the word for ‘fish’ (7) 33 Make a really great effort — prostrate oneself (2,4,3) 36 Will not eating make him more likely to win the race? (6) 38 Subsequently changing first half of, relatively (5) 39 A tied score? The heck it is! (5) 40 Far from, returning to in mere twinkling (6) 42 Refute, though it could be true about British (5) 43 Bind with a strip of fabric (silver) and string (7) 44 Lose vigour — on the bottle (6) 46 The average man (4) 49 The thing that got child scratching? (4) 51 As ever, stupidly opposed to (6) 53 In bar, spraying mace around, ghastly (7) 55 Pedigree animals (5) 59 Fled helter-skelter, I’d been caught in racket (6) 60 A prop or two (5) 61 Tree on quiet alley (5) 62 From hotel, sign indicating way to school (6) 63 Regardless, whatever the currency exchange (2,3,4) 65 Get it right — put on new clothes (7) 66 Synthetic and new, madame is crazy about (3-4) 70 At prison, nearly eviscerated a copper (5) 71 Local taking food in for a down-and-out (6) 73 Inducement to be holding kid (5) 75 The street — no getting round it — is not nice (5) 80 Receding, flow round the stone (4) 82 Not allowed to carry half aboard (5) 83 Anything that follows far right leaders is creating anxiety (7) 84 Jack in box, tease about (6) 85 Dally with; flirt outrageously at one point (6) 86 Manage to get across to meet (7) 87 Just now his mom had entered the tent (4,6)

DOWN

1 Threaten me, swishing cane (6) 2 Tries to squeeze in, to put question to star (8) 3 Carrying a small tot and something for breakfast (5) 4 The animal then turned mean, grabbing (7) 5 Changes a pound, then changes rest (6) 6 Log off; be approaching earth, perhaps (5) 7 You’re right. It makes people eat too much (6) 8 Not the little lad in the furniture store (7) 9 One with punch line that won’t knock ’em cold (6,4) 10 Not fidgeting yet (5) 11 Soldier posted, upset, gear packed (8) 12 Support dad right through (4) 24 He’ll tell you how many are against (7) 25 ‘Snifter’ with neither its first nor fifth letters (5) 26 Keeping gates unlocked, or staying inside (7) 27 Furious to find lag released, call on (7) 29 Copy brought back from the cartographer (5) 31 Couldn’t stand dreadful heat at Dubai, initially (5) 32 Agrees there are gaps between the Cs and Es (4) 34 If you would make excuses verbally (6) 35 It means ‘overcast’, stupid! (4) 37 Moved when one put one’s fingers on (7) 41 Backing in car, having come round to supervise (7) 45 Ran off inside to fetch the stone (6) 47 Squiffy; are mad about one fortified wine (7) 48 Understanding, mean to return to harbour (7) 50 Emblem is in the wrong list (7) 52 A shot or a knife wound (4) 54 Gather it’s a US state, in short (5) 56 A sunshade (5) 57 At this point in the recital (4) 58 Female: female carrying a bundle (5) 60 Huge disappointment — if you’d been expecting a warm breeze? (6,4) 64 Though nobody had departed, all gone (4,4) 67 Until then, indicate it is up to me (8) 68 Disregarded, eroding badly (7) 69 Jack! Mark! Don’t! (7) 72 Don’t agree to free knots restraining us (6) 74 Corrects to ‘entitlements’ (6) 76 Figure an insect is the occupant (6) 77 Having caught the ball, run further (5) 78 Colour of those nutty eyes? (5) 79 Parking vehicle beforehand, walk (5) 81 Lifting bag, say goodbye (4)