GIANT CROSSWORD

CHOOSE cryptic or quick, answers are the same. SOLUTION ON MONDAY FOR A CHANCE TO WIN £750: Solve crossword to reveal the word reading down the shaded boxes. HOW TO ENTER: Call 0901 293 6231 and leave six-letter answer and details, or TEXT 65700 with the word XWORD, your answer and name. Texts and calls cost £1 plus standard network charges. One winner chosen from all correct entries received between 00.01 today (Saturday) and 23.59 tomorrow (Sunday). UK residents aged 18+, excl NI. Full terms apply, see Page 40. NEED A CLUE? Text HINT to 65700 for six answers, or call 0901 293 6235. Texts and calls cost £1 plus standard network charges. Today’s clues available from 00.01 Saturday to 23.30 on Sunday.

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

12 Start to scour shopping site with loose coins for petty thing (5,6) 13 Cold area on tube gets to subside (4,2) 14 Winner in Australian state disowning last pair (6) 16 A good senior journalist that’s elderly (4) 17 Note travel I altered to make recovery (9) 18 Vertical cut, it’s said (5) 19 Slender type’s garden implement (4) 20 Here a lot’s mismanaged? Become despondent (4,5) 22 Players take in large playground feature (5) 23 How one might describe playing of cards lacking control? (3,2,4) 27 Rita alone taking off jacket sadly facing proceedings (2,5) 30 Fixed look and bad smell in summer house (6) 31 A sign of objection in neighbour (4) 32 College immediately accepted rule (5) 35 Precious stone, round and mostly lacking colour (4) 36 After swimming, men dare to wander around (7) 38 Detect second plant container (4) 39 Aggressive type gets rib sure broken (7) 42 Dirt around yard making one remain at home (4,2) 45 Components put back for narrow band (5) 46 Some cut fancy dress (7) 47 Profit in Georgia and Indiana (4) 48 Leave South American capital without backing (4) 50 Sentimental university director left in U.S. state endlessly (7) 52 A section of hospital gets prize (5) 54 Persistent boxer, maybe, starts to garner extra distinction (6) 56 Captain beginning to see fish (7) 57 Molten rock found in colossal avalanche (4) 59 Chase a lot of immaculate diamonds, say (7) 61 Reluctant to abandon first solemn undertaking (4) 64 Airline gets to do wrong and sink (5) 66 Fraudulent fellow given a means of entry nearly (4) 67 Warning for pit? (3-3) 69 Vary rates in Greek wine (7) 72 Construct a front and contort features? (4,1,4) 73 Women given turbulent year are tired (5) 74 English playwright has reserve and timidity (9) 79 Quantity of drink consumed by chap in tavern (4) 81 Approach Greek character in rugby party firstly (3-2) 82 European lot clear reforms regarding voting (9) 83 Resounding noise in city house (4) 85 Partition observed round sides of counter (6) 86 Hear about goal in fashion? (6) 87 Set right away amid effect of bonfire has to disappear (2,2,2,5)

DOWN

1 Conceited sergeant major with hideous look? Not half (4) 2 Place on border for vow (6) 3 Fright about coffee initially in short supply (6) 4 Historical Yorkshire river and grazing land (7) 5 A spirit about Austria once more (5) 6 Dreary solo transformed in the first stages (5,5) 7 This criminal pockets first of earnings in armed hold-up (5) 8 Artless or highly intelligent swapping institute for university (9) 9 Delight about party putting out pair of lines (7) 10 Indelible mark in neckwear no end (4) 11 Investigate place where one goes with family, centre of Eton (4,4) 15 Attractively slim learner wearing crumpled vest close to home (6) 21 Confess want regularly among publishers (3,2) 24 Example of sense in trial (7) 25 Prison officer getting embarrassed inexperienced on reflection (6) 26 Renowned sports body has way of working with American (6) 28 Mass meeting? It’s held in stages (5) 29 Intent shown by excellent Frenchman (3) 33 Faint pressure on fool in the open (4,3) 34 End to working week complete for colleague (6) 37 Mature writer supporting religious instruction (5) 40 Select jewel itemised in part (5) 41 Banal sound of buzzers — and percussive instrument (7) 43 Heavy vehicle in traffic (5) 44 Something that desensitises figure (6) 46 Embrace soprano amid applause (5) 49 Cut of beef posited wrongly (7) 51 Rich old dear possibly losing rupees (6) 53 Commercial disagreement making one powerless in the main (6) 55 Brightness in Gloucestershire scenery initially (5) 58 Immediately prepared to dislodge heated tray (2,3,5) 60 Link in rank curtailed (3) 62 Element of report on ice gets boost (5) 63 Charm in cafes at ground (9) 65 A source of water in clubhouse in case of emergency (2,1,5) 68 Journalist about to go off concierge (6) 70 Insult a fighter with impudence (7) 71 Masterstroke over time to restrain bishop that’s tainted (7) 75 Using boat with sun gone makes one unwell (6) 76 Visionary doctor with energy and a surprised expression (6) 77 Rapidity and power retained in beginning (5) 78 Shilling with money turned up in seat (5) 80 Eviction of outsiders in Athens afterwards (4) 84 Increase walk with a pack? (4)

ACROSS

12 Petty thing (5,6) 13 Subside (4,2) 14 Winner (6) 16 Elderly (4) 17 Recovery (9) 18 Downright (5) 19 Gardening tool (4) 20 Become despondent (4,5) 22 Lapse (5) 23 Lacking control (3,2,4) 27 Under probation (2,5) 30 Summer house (6) 31 Border (4) 32 Accepted rule (5) 35 Precious stone (4) 36 Wind about (7) 38 Location (4) 39 Aggressive type (7) 42 Remain at home (4,2) 45 Narrow band (5) 46 Outfit (7) 47 Profit (4) 48 Depart from (4) 50 Weakly sentimental (7) 52 Prize (5) 54 Persistent (6) 56 Captain (7) 57 Molten rock (4) 59 Chase (7) 61 Solemn undertaking (4) 64 Sink (5) 66 Fraudulent (4) 67 Warning (3-3) 69 Greek wine (7) QUICK CLUES 72 Grimace (4,1,4) 73 Tired (5) 74 Timidity (9) 79 Drink measure (4) 81 Approach (3-2) 82 Regarding voting (9) 83 Resound (4) 85 Partition (6) 86 Fashionable (6) 87 Vanish (2,2,2,5)

DOWN

1 Conceited (4) 2 Vow (6) 3 In short supply (6) 4 Grazing land (7) 5 Once more (5) 6 In the first stages (5,5) 7 Armed hold-up (5) 8 Naive (9) 9 Delight (7) 10 Blemish (4) 11 Investigate (4,4) 15 Attractively slim (6) 21 Confess (3,2) 24 Trial (7) 25 Prison officer (6) 26 Renowned (6) 28 Mass meeting (5) 29 Intent (3) 33 Faint (4,3) 34 Colleague (6) 37 Mature (5) 40 Select group (5) 41 Banal (7) 43 Lorry (5) 44 Quantity (6) 46 Fastening (5) 49 Cut of beef (7) 51 Rich (6) 53 Cut loose (6) 55 Lustre (5) 58 Immediately prepared (2,3,5) 60 Link (3) 62 Boost (5) 63 Intrigue (9) 65 In case of emergency (2,1,5) 68 Concierge (6) 70 Insult (7) 71 Taint (7) 75 Unwell (6) 76 Fanciful (6) 77 Rapidity (5) 78 Backless seat (5) 80 Afterwards (4) 84 Walking tour (4)