THE GIANT CROSSWORD
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
12 A flighty creature such as Mona Lisa was (7,4) 13 In the company of royalty, dry up (6) 14 To state you’re not single would spoil (6) 16 Dogs, perhaps, returning from walk (4) 17 Or we change ‘awful grind’, expressing it differently (9) 18 Drank, back at the warehouse (5) 19 Spell it out, personally (4) 20 Cease, suddenly — to grow? (4,5) 22 Wait at bus terminus, ever twitchy (5) 23 Improving – no longer litter louts (7,2) 27 Girl gives yell at last, distraught (7) 30 Time of year when one’s travelling around (6) 31 Something very fashionable at end of Tudor era (4) 32 Speak for only part of America (5) 35 How many are found inside, live (4) 36 Rose was left waiting at the rendezvous (5,2) 38 Story said I’d gone half gaga (4) 39 Sees changing gear. Road’s constricted (7) 42 It reveals if the weather forecast is accurate (6) 45 Brusque ‘Stereotyped. Start re-casting’ (5) 46 One in shiny leather case (7) 47 Track right left and centre is excellent (4) 48 Bite and kick, upset by the insect (4) 50 How one said ‘Not the sharpest knife in the drawer?’ (7) 52 Anything that produces a bit of laughter (5) 54 Note their waffling. Shilly-shally (6) 56 Not favouring a commercial jingle (7) 57 Cover round a swimming pool (4) 59 Did an impression of a stripper? (4,3) 61 Something secured by a link — or a clip (4) 64 Stall and you kick, hard (5) 66 Precisely what little boy likes about gun (4) 67 Are doddery, he reckons (6) 69 Weep about loss, unhappily and peevishly (7) 72 Enters running and attacks (5,4) 73 Neck and neck in the return, too (5) 74 Artificial jewellery is moving slowly, not steadily (9) 79 The jumping one is not the pinto (4) 81 Only small number got in through crack (5) 82 He has to be up to get the programme under way! (6,3) 83 Just over fifty a year (4) 85 Going by the book, say, it’s high in cholesterol (6) 86 Also prepared to take over the bar (6) 87 Sturdy prong, bent (6,5)
DOWN
1 Silly fad given up a little time after (4) 2 Quickly buy and drink, having grabbed a snooze (4,2) 3 My love, that fifty per cent cut will create a shortage (6) 4 Noisy cows. Daisy is one of them (7) 5 Dote on and bother about (5) 6 Niggles about having made improper donations? (10) 7 Fishy — fish-y (5) 8 The accoutrements of a hunter? (9) 9 Wrongly receive, in error (7) 10 See the position (4) 11 Get off, or remove, the photo from its backing? (8) 15 Quite a few — about four — English doctors (6) 21 The trunk and roots are gnarled (5) 24 The brunette is cheating (3,4) 25 An article in ‘The Pathfinder’? (6) 26 Right through the battle in a funk (6) 28 Cheat on pay (5) 29 When at school, he’s dim-witted (3) 33 Remedy that’s no way odd (7) 34 He had poured tea into and put in microwave (6) 37 Shame the English into godliness (5) 40 Campaign to stop using public transport? (5) 41 Part that’s nicest unfortunately has hole in it (7) 43 Save with difficult-to-catch ball (5) 44 For garbage, bringing in a vehicle that’s strong (6) 46 Be eager to take learner through factory (5) 49 Better translate ‘a tree’ into Greek (7) 51 Articles that are no good, put into this (6) 53 By the wood, large fawn (6) 55 Sound with which vets are familiar (5) 58 Being given a lift, but not by alcohol (2,3,5) 60 Much force required to lift (3) 62 Criminal inside. Wife lonely (5) 63 An agnostic and disloyal (9) 65 Began to talk freely and admitted (6,2) 68 River fish caught in a ditch (6) 70 At base of cliff is convinced there’s a crevice (7) 71 Has mop flicking round, to wash (7) 75 Mean to scribble a note in and contrive to (6) 76 Regard as something non-participants do (4,2) 77 Having a lot of time, coped with (5) 78 Game many take to (5) 80 Message says ‘No time. I’m off’ (4) 84 Fifty-one and single (4)
QUICK CLUES ACROSS
12 Butterfly (7,4) 13 Shrivel (6) 14 Harm (6) 16 Tread (4) 17 Paraphrasing (9) 18 Warehouse (5) 19 Period (4) 20 Halt abruptly (4,5) 22 Dole out food (5) 23 Improving (7,2) 27 Glass (7) 30 Time of year (6) 31 Fury (4) 32 Announce (5) 35 Number (4) 36 Vacated seat (5,2) 38 Epic (4) 39 Looks at (7) 42 Light rain (6) 45 Curt (5) 46 Medical case (7) 47 Track (4) 48 Pungent taste (4) 50 Frankly (7) 52 Anything (5) 54 Shilly-shally (6) 56 Opposed to (7) 57 Swimming pool (4) 59 Imitated (4,3) 61 Blow (4) 64 Compartment (5) 66 Report (4) 67 Stagger (6) 69 Peevishly (7) 72 Attacks (5,4) 73 Neck and neck (5) 74 Walking unsteadily (9) 79 Vegetable (4) 81 Work out (5) 82 TV presenter (6,3) 83 Just (4) 85 Dairy product (6) 86 Bar (6) 87 Forte (6,5)
DOWN
1 Silly (4) 2 Quickly buy (4,2) 3 Shortage (6) 4 Blooms (7) 5 Love (5) 6 Qualms (10) 7 Disreputable (5) 8 Accoutrements (9) 9 Error (7) 10 See (4) 11 Get off (8) 15 Sundry (6) 21 Trunk (5) 24 Unjust (3,4) 25 Editorial (6) 26 Fear (6) 28 Wages (slang) (5) 29 Donkey (3) 33 Remedy (7) 34 Warmed (6) 37 Holiness (5) 40 Motor (5) 41 Part (7) 43 Save (5) 44 Strong (6) 46 Factory (5) 49 Bigger (7) 51 Articles (6) 53 Abase oneself (6) 55 Parasites (5) 58 Teetotal (2,3,5) 60 Distant (3) 62 Criminal (5) 63 Disloyal (9) 65 Spoke freely (6,2) 68 Ditch (6) 70 Cleft (7) 71 Wash (7) 75 Contrive (6) 76 Spectate (4,2) 77 Coped with (5) 78 Housey-housey (5) 80 Memo (4) 84 Solitary (4)