THE GIANT CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

12 Rather chilly — with a biting wind (3,2,3,3) 13 Alternatively, cook the beef outside, as previously (6) 14 Not hard currency (6) 16 Imbibing large drink is a mistake (4) 17 Price of air trip to California or Central America (5,4) 18 Latin name for a game of chance (5) 19 Having a joker (hard to come by) (4) 20 Dream and half feel Santa is creeping in (9) 22 Just a little fish with little tail (5) 23 Don’t hover around tough guys convalescing (2,3,4) 27 Someone over-punctilious about brewing tea? (7) 30 Sound rule is to encircle the street (6) 31 Wild bird that can imitate a domestic one? (4) 32 Established only round about ’49 (5) 35 Good heavens, it’s spring! (4) 36 Rounding the bend and going off (7) 38 Pretend to mum. Mum is taken aback (4) 39 Think it will cast discredit on (7) 42 Grass cutters (6) 45 During trials, we are to take an oath (5) 46 Worried about tit I released: freed (7) 47 Having a bag to contain, is tidy (4) 48 Reputed to have uttered the words (4) 50 Short of time, didn’t wait for volunteers? (7) 52 I.e., what to do with the broken-down car (2,3) 54 One-sided entitlements? (6) 56 A bright young thing in show business? (7) 57 For the record, day is cold (4) 59 He’s the doddering Pole: ancient (7) 61 Green light, it may be (4) 64 Not so hot diet, covering, roughly, a page (5) 66 Carol is showing how to delete (4) 67 Mood I’m in, myself, about the exam (6) 69 Scene where pie is thrown does seem funny (7) 72 Having to cope with, as a rival candidate (2,7) 73 Taking on British forces is mad (5) 74 Little hope there is that Tubby will stay on diet? (3,6) 79 Note tear on case (4) 81 Cut right into the grotto (5) 82 Hesitant to show round. An appalling clutter (9) 83 Number one spice (4) 85 Bug you catch, then let off (6) 86 Push hard and hope, having seized (6) 87 Must confess you can’t exclude (4,2,5)

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DOWN

1 I will book ahead and get programme (4) 2 Two containers, low quality (6) 3 Gets bogged down in the boonies (6) 4 Are determined as priests, to reform (7) 5 Mail going off to northern Italian city (5) 6 All the same, have a poorer opinion of (10) 7 In a word, large globe (5) 8 Climbing aboard and not falling out (7,2) 9 Waste something that may have been hard won (7) 10 Realise there’s a lack of sound (4) 11 Guard posted in the Spanish base (8) 15 Possessing an unspecified something that makes trendy (4,2) 21 ‘An inspiration’ does make you laugh (5) 24 Soppy girl, love to upset (7) 25 Lying back ourselves by the tree (6) 26 Car’s been damaged parking. Note scratch (6) 28 In that case, the cover is not easily broken (5) 29 Choose to carry the piano up (3) 33 Gives first aid to some items in the wardrobe? (7) 34 ‘Sex information” has blushing up (6) 37 There’s blood. A number have been wounded (5) 40 From vessel, many are taken to float (5) 41 Not a bowler, though at odd tests bowling (7) 43 While occupying, having rented, the smallest (5) 44 He’s having a drink and a meal (6) 46 If at all deprived of outer covering, is deadly (5) 49 Pet pupil, venturing to embrace (7) 51 Mean, as a hornet behaves when cross (6) 53 Completely perforated, reportedly (6) 55 Good jumble sale. Bad weather (5) 58 Gave the impression one found by chance (4,6) 60 For depression, swim (3) 62 My answer to GP’s ‘Who’d like wine?’ (5) 63 Really good wood, treats differently (5-4) 65 Businessman’s former doorkeeper (8) 68 Waffle on again about lamb stew (6) 70 Stole quietly — moved very slowly (7) 71 Having same trouble catching horse, contrives to (7) 75 Do dress tot in natural fabric (6) 76 A lot of craft required to write a convoluted drama (6) 77 Kind of emergency requiring heart surgery (5) 78 Not much of a fight (5) 80 Feel sorry for it. Gentle and young, imprisoned (4) 84 Blow that will cut? (4)