GIANT CROSSWORD
CHOOSE cryptic or quick, answers are the same. SOLUTIONS ON MONDAY
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
12 European featuring in recent epic broadcast is focus of attention (11)
13 Silver seen in mud? That’s optical illusion (6)
14 Talk repeatedly working behind music instrument (4,2)
16 Achievement in measurement, it’s said (4)
17 Begin flying to Nigeria (9)
18 Complaint from Peg bothered about religious instruction (5)
19 Principal coastal state in the U.S. mentioned (4)
20 Note Kate manoeuvring around hotel receiving income illegally (2,3,4)
22 A graduate in clubs left secret clique (5)
23 Robin, perhaps, drunk in bar is silly person (9)
27 Be loyal to loveless young man after criticism (5,2)
30 Tim and Ned represented as wealthy (6)
31 Stylishness shown in exquisite language (4) 32 Proposal of official backed (5)
35 Fake cured meat put behind last of packets (4)
36 British duo excited by old Irish woman’s private room (7)
38 Unscrupulous type, reportedly, in part of church (4)
39 Agent keeping piece of jewellery and elastic? (7)
42 Self-contained nice ground of a picturesque sort (6)
45 Confess now after stirring out of bed (3,2)
46 First of comments about nationalist receiving taunt that’s well-deserved (7)
47 Place where young flyers might be at home? (4)
48 Tendril found in barrow is perfect (4)
50 Mass of pebbles here initially one gathers (7)
52 Publish contentious matter (5)
54 Walk quietly having smashed pot in competitive game (6)
56 Frank and golfer Jason in period of public access? (4,3)
57 Mythical fairy covered by super illustrations (4)
59 Elizabeth entertaining a northern queen in formal meal (7)
61 Bob also put back black carbon residue (4)
64 A Celt damaged wedgeshaped piece (5)
66 Go by area between mountains (4)
67 Final part of event in terribly messy arrangement (6)
69 Start to eye retired journalist in back producing handheld device (1-6)
72 Limos fit possibly to carry female are out of bounds (3,6)
73 Verge in black area for skaters (5)
74 Poor Alf upset about entrance to loos and new building layout (5,4)
79 Wading bird in bliss at intervals (4)
81 American woman’s escort (5)
82 Writer Noel in charge beginning to exhibit spinelessness (9)
83 Head ignoring book formerly (4)
85 Charlie adores dried flower buds (6)
86 Alcoholic drink, say, obtained by number in middle of gaggle (6)
87 One studying trees? (11)
DOWN
1 Trifling piece of former expenditure (4)
2 Surgeons are familiar with this pain from strenuous exercise? (6)
3 Banish extremists from disruptive coastal city (6)
4 Current demonic sort within confines of family is overly fussy (7)
5 Amid short drink, councillor gets provisional certificate (5)
6 In trouble, we find rare figure with emergency duties (4,6)
7 Boy and generally gangly youth initially describing some trousers? (5)
8 Curative claim Enid fabricated (9)
9 Long strands studied in this I discounted (7) 10 Vagrant snubbed passenger vehicle (4)
11 Definite desirable quality (8)
15 Learned type stumped about a leading group (6)
21 Some cannot challenge cut (5)
24 Troublemaker disrupted two fellows entering a ruin nervously (7)
25 Writer with time gone ripped cocked hat (6)
26 Raise most of cable over limited opening (6)
28 I munch endlessly exotic aromatic seed (5)
29 Child’s protective garment hidden in club, I bet (3)
33 Rural circle in reformed club in Cheshire primarily (7)
34 Play in step small harpsichord (6)
37 Doddery peer carrying refined Indian currency (5)
40 Gadget put in bag is modified (5)
41 Ghastly boltholes with no end of defacement (7)
43 Invigorating snack found in a packet? (5)
44 Conservative unsettled a bash in North African citadel (6)
46 Cyclists usually like to avoid this scale (5)
49 Arcade game in Belgium surrounded by darkness (7)
51 Grey facility supplying lubricant (6)
53 Composed notes about introduction to notorious poem (6)
55 Old man has agitated former Turkish officer (5)
58 One teaching curt sort in novel (10)
60 Sailor is appreciated by the sound of it (3)
62 Margaret occupying centre of boat for Greek character (5)
63 Watch Lee frolicking around river making a handspring (9)
65 Feet Bill adjusted in flotation device (8)
68 Strong wine’s spilt close to eatery (6)
70 Urge shown by politician for all to see amid devious lies (7)
71 Largely unpretentious Edward in intertwined fashion? (7)
75 Part of cricket lately marginalised to an excessive degree (6)
76 Page on Irish lake showing farming implement (6)
77 Remnants of liquid, for example, consumed by Doris regularly (5)
78 Terse lawyer’s assignment (5)
80 Put aside a vest largely in poor condition (4)
84 Point of transition in focus, potentially (4)