THIS WEEK’S BIG CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Dripping wet 6. Messenger bird, carrier … 11. Appeal, issue a … 13. High fashion, haute … 15. Vindicated, … a wrong 17. Spacecraft’s return to Earth (2-5) 18. Disgrace, dishonour 19. Gruelling 21. Perfume, … de Cologne 23. Clueless star, … Silverstone

25. In no way (3,2,3) 26. Rumour, hearsay 28. Without a specific commission, work … (2,4) 30. Mystic River star,

… Penn

31. Honey wine

33. Small mistake 34. Socially timid 36. Speaks

37. Affirm positively 39. Looks after, … the sick 42. Secret hoard 44. Conscious

46. Movie, … Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines

47. Play, … Ado About Nothing

49. Hybrid citrus fruit 51. Cool courage

52. Low bush 53. Japanese art of folding paper

54. UK race meeting, Royal … 57. Annoying creature 59. Otherwise, or … 61. Tennis ace, … Ivanovic 63. Robust, manly 66. Church’s steeple 68. Piece of furniture, coffee …

69. NASA’S moon mission series

70. Walk crabwise

73. Vinyl music disc

74. Surgical beam of light

75. Deserves, … praise

76. Skilled, … and talented

77. Takes a break

80. Banished overseas

81. House of ice

82. Boot with wheels

85. Mottle with spots

88. Coaster, beer …

90. Pace, … of progress

92. Implores

94. Olympic stadium, eg

97. Garden timepiece

98. Steer clear of, avoid 100. Angelina Jolie movie

character, Lara …

102. Australian actress, … Mccune 103. Tendril, … of hair 104. Spin, turn

106. Fear, … the outcome 108. Adores

111. Final amount, grand … 113. Be defeated 114. Bottle’s narrow part 116. Writing instrument 117. Mate, friend

119. Study a book 120. Paradise garden 121. TV personality, Ray … 123. Chanced, … the lot 126. Crime writer, … Cornwell 127. Set upon, attack 129. One of Santa’s helpers 131. Dried grapes 134. Variety of steak (1-4) 135. Appearing in court (2,5) 136. Get-together, school … 137. Palaeolithic people 138. Undiluted, drink your whisky …

139. Strong regional accent, Scottish … 140. Inhabitants

DOWN

1. Tapering column rising from a cave floor 2. Rome’s famous fountain 3. Acquire anew, … your position

4. Alice Springs river 5. Political protest march (abbrev)

6. Root vegetable 7. Most eminent 8. Lingers too long,

… his welcome

9. The Young Pope star, … Law

10. African language 11. Italian basil sauce

12. Lightyear actor, Chris ... 13. Rides a bike 14. Long-term refrigeration, put into … (4-6) 16. Deleted 20. Purposes

22. Cuts down 24. Cypher systems 26. Nibble like a rodent 27. Betting amount 29. Ascend with difficulty 30. Middle Eastern country 32. Make amends, … for sins 35. Bargained over price

38. Aida composer 40. Bird’s dwelling 41. Abolish, … the rule 42. Grates, … cheese 43. Compassionate 44. French saint, Joan of …

45. Opposed to 48. Lettuce variety 50. Drink, … and tonic 55. Very cold region of Russia 56. Supervise 57. Goulash spice 58. Divorce or separate (5,2) 60. Space to stretch out 62. No fewer than (2,5) 64. Accept delivery 65. Pantries

66. Bob Marley classic,

Buffalo …

67. Diabetes treatment 71. Wrath

72. Batch, set 77. Ceremonial custom 78. Jump with a parachute 79. Drinking tubes

83. Stay silent (4,3) 84. Browned bread 85. Slow down

86. Pokes with a stick 87. Unpunctual 89. Donkey

91. Love Story actress, … Macgraw

92. Be optimistic, hope for the … 93. Artfulness 95. Conclude 96. Extraterrestrial 99. Baby birds 101. Unusual and unexpected, … weather 105. Cautions

107. Grew old

109. Old switchboard user 110. Performing

112. Petrol ingredient 114. NZ musician, … Finn

115. The Young Pope co-star of 9. Down, Diane … 117. Scottish hero, Bonnie Prince …

118. Roman god of war 122. Published or distributed 124. Range 125. Straight-backed 128. From the largest continent 129. Jealousy

130. Be in a rage 132. Composer, … Stravinsky 133. Greek rainbow goddess