Big crossword
ACROSS
1. Dictatorial governments 4. Allege 8. Elf 11. Soaks in liquid 16. Spiritual teachers 18. Charmingly persuasive (6-7) 19. Red, blue or yellow (7,6) 21. Chewing 23. Wash off soap suds 24. Early Rod Stewart hit, “… Wind” 26. Sort, kind 28. Look lustfully 31. Classic novel, …Doone 32. US spy network (1,1,1) 34. Heart or liver, eg vital … 35. Cry of a wolf 36. Pink-fleshed tropical fruit 37. Cook in oven 38. Billy Joel hit, “Uptown …” 40. Slippery fish 42. Avatar actor, … Worthington 43. Region, zone 47. Trainee hospital doctor 48. Attic 50. Perform alone 53. Draw 54. Longest river in Europe 56. United Arab Emirates city state 57. Polished and shiny 60. Deserved 61. Relaxed (2,4) 64. Grease 65. Read quickly 67. Common table condiment 70. Church bench 71. Egypt’s river 72. Robbers 73. Historical periods 74. Large 76. Brings to a conclusion 79. Heap, stack 81. Beetlejuice director, … Burton 83. Made amends 85. Trick played on one day of the year (5,4) 86. Fancy cake 87. Admit guilt (3,2) 88. Playwright, …Wilde 89. Equipped, … out 90. Classic hit by rock band Queen, “Don’t … Me Now” 93. Abandoned, … behind 95. Hinder by obstruction 96. Cameo gemstone 99. Style of poem 100. Breathe in with shock 102. Embroiders 104. Proportion 105. Cancel a marriage 106. Chief in importance 108. “Laughing” African scavenger 109. Young boy 111. Utilisation 113. Tropical edible tubers 116. Widespread 118. Wound open from a spiral 120. Dinnerware item 121. Red salad vegetable 122. Outdoor venue with fairground rides etc (9,4) 124. Game played before main match (7-6) 125. Grain containers 126. Cowboy’s hat 127. Invited 128. Birds in a gaggle 129. Artist’s mixing board
DOWN
1. Restarted 2. HQ for monitoring spacecraft (6,7) 3. Singersongwriter, Joni … 5. Probable 6. Pay no
attention 7. Large cup 8. Baby dog 9. Tel Aviv
is there
10. Resistant to infection 12. Swamping 13. Bag’s long carrying handle (8,5) 14. Pearl necklaces 15. Distinctive flavour 17. Forcefully stuff in 20. Against 22. Cool self-assurance 25. Debate, quarrel 26. Labels 27. Musical instrument 29. Communicate via the internet 30. List showing jobs to be done 32. Group of actors 33. Upper limbs 39. Australian dog 40. Be jealous of 41. Shade of purple 44. James Dean movie, …Withouta Cause 45. India’s continent 46. Shakespeare’s The Taming of the… 48. Garden grass 49. Following on from (7,2) 51. Exactly correct (2,3,4) 52. Probability 55. Graceful antelope 58. Apply restrictions to 59. Sharp metal point 62. Crown 63. Tone of old photos 65. Song, “I Can … Clearly Now” 66. Help, assist 68. Boxing legend, Muhammad … 69. Golf peg 74. Yaps 75. Grasped what it’s all about (3,3,7) 77. Fictional teenage sleuth, … Drew 78. Depletes (strength) 79. Storyline 80. Stretchy material 81. Gogglebox (10,3) 82. Obstinate animals 84. Extinct bird 86. Clutch, grasp 91. Native American object, … pole 92. Body of still water 93. Show the way 94. Mushrooms 97. Nephew’s sister 98. Radiographer’s photograph (1-3) 100. Adhesive 101. Boot with rollers 103. Becomes shrunken and wrinkled 106. Flavoursome mince sphere 107. Mouse noises 110. TV soap, Home and… 112. Turn loose (3,4) 114. Takes into the family 115. Meagre 116. Turn down an offer 117. Champagne glasses 119. Animal lairs 121. Accused’s surety money 123. Baby goat 124. Gearwheel tooth
SOLUTION NEXT WEEK