Giant general knowledge crossword
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ACROSS
1 Band formed in Paisley in 1972 by Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty (8,5)
8 Scots product which bears the Orb trademark (6,5)
14 Medicine which has not been proven to be effective (7)
15 The top of a mineshaft (7)
16 Act of misleading or trickery (9) 17 Microsoft spreadsheet program (5)
18 The base for a latte coffee (8) 19 Surname of the Italian Fascist known as ‘Il Duce’ (9)
21 The language in which ‘ Hakuna Matata’ means ‘ no worries’ (7) 22 An inexperienced person (9) 23 Peninsula on which Denmark is based (7)
24 The breed of parrot in the Monty Python ‘ Dead Parrot Sketch’, ———— Blue (9)
26 Born in Dunfermline, the first wife of Henry I (7)
27 Surname of the dictator who was known as the Butcher of Baghdad (7)
29 Non-square quadrilateral with four right angles (6)
31 A substance which counteracts poisoning (8)
33 A legendary location in South America which means ‘the golden one’ (2,6)
36 Describing a painting, attractive in a conventional manner (9-3)
37 The part of the Pacific Ocean which separates Alaska and Russia (6,6)
38 The most populous landlocked country in the world (8)
39 The king whose army was defeated at the Battle of Bannockburn (6,2)
41 French-designed missile which literally means ‘flying fish’ (6)
44 To give a new haircut, for example (7)
46 The meaning of the word terrestrial (7)
48 TV show set in Manchester in which James McAvoy played the character Steve McBride (9)
50 Deciduous trees, the wood of which was used for panel paintings such as the Mona Lisa (7)
52 A direct or natural consequence (9)
54 A game which is played again (7) 56 An ornamental item to clamp eg a stair runner (6,3)
58 An electronic toy which simulates an animal companion (8)
60 Brand name which stands for Durability, Reliability and Excellence (5) 62 Lacking in reason (9) 63 Something which deviates from the norm (7)
64 Woodcutter character from ‘ The Arabian Nights’ tales who finds a thieves’ den (3,4)
65 The fictional village which was the setting for the TV series, ‘ Take the High Road’ (11)
66 Barrier which uses shocks as a deterrent (8,5)
DOWN
1 Lewis Grassic Gibbon novel, first part of ‘ A Scots Quair’ trilogy (6,4)
2 Comfy furniture on which one might read 1 down (4,5)
3 Siren of Germanic legend said to reside in the Rhine (7)
4 Host city of the 1960 Summer Olympics (4)
5 Disposable cleansing cloths (5) 6 The Greek Muse of music (7) 7 Football club Billy Bremner played for between 1959-76 (5,6)
8 Boat with winglike structures lifting the hull above the water (9)
9 Drum and bass band which had a number one with ‘Feel the Love’ in 2012 (10)
10 Bone of the ear shaped like an anvil (5)
11 The primary organ of a plant which lies beneath the surface (7) 12 To remove from a contest (9) 13 Breed of terrier named after a character from ‘ Guy Mannering’ by Sir Walter Scott (6,7)
20 Furniture with drawers for paperwork, typically used in offices (6,8)
22 Looney Tunes character which is a Mexican mouse,
Speedy ———— (8)
23 Scots inventor whose early inventions included a glass razor and pneumatic shoes (4,5,5)
25 The study of sexual behaviour (9) 26 Author of ‘ Love in a Cold Climate’, Nancy ———— (7)
28 Opening through which a cetacean breathes air (5-4)
30 Circular Iron Age structure found only in Scotland (5)
32 The translation of the French word Mardi (7)
34 Plant from which the drink tequila is derived (5)
35 Racehorse, named after a ballet dancer, which won the Triple Crown in 1970 (8)
36 Selecting the most desirable of a batch (6-7)
40 Alcoholic drink of oatmeal, honey and whisky (6,5)
42 A minor fault or sin (10)
43 To cause to die through deprivation of air (10)
45 Strong, quick-setting adhesive (9)
47 Surname of the Swiss psychologist famous for his inkblot tests (9)
49 To provide with amusement (9) 51 Punished in return for harm received (7)
53 The amount to pay for a flight (7) 55 The part of the body between chest and waist (7)
57 Kitchen utensil used to crush food into small grains (5)
59 Nefertiti was queen of this country (5)
61 Female garment typical of the Indian subcontinent (4)