BRAINTEASER 173

ACROSS

1. Curvaceous

4. Beef cut

8. Hotel employee

11. Absorbs (5,2)

16. From Houston

18. Fuelling facility (6,7)

19. Involving many hours (4-9)

21. Cosmetic pencil

23. Dairy treats (3,6)

26. Tawdriest

28. Reclined

30. Coiled

32. Unpunctual

34. Sponge

36. Idolise

38. Debacle

39. Crowd gathering

42. Lagoons

45. Oppose

47. Rail transport

49. Within the law

50. Rise to feet

53. Trembles

55. Black & white mammals

56. Mutilated

57. Start firing (4,2)

59. Rear

60. Above

61. Polar covering

63. Not sinking

66. Be frugal

68. Delilah’s partner

70. Performed

71. Mineral rocks

72. Steam bath

73. Stupid louts

76. Wily

77. Paris’s … Tower

78. Huge men

79. Heart monitor (1,1,1)

81. Lash

83. Is inclined (to)

85. Hairdo

86. Evita, … Peron

88. ‘Hero’ singer, … Carey

90. Bare

91. Diners

92. Griddle cakes

93. Dusting powder

95. Elm or yew

96. Lengthier

97. Midday, 12 … (1’5) 100. Beauty treatment 102. Aft

103. Pond surface growth 105. Below

106. Eyelid inflammations 108. On dry land

110. Wine berry

112. … & left hands

114. Pinpoint

117. Cabaret show

119. Pale-faced

121. Sense of the absurd 124. Results (4,2)

127. Wacky

129. Octopus limb

130. Frozen raindrop

131. Planned (building)

132. Soot cleaners (7,6)

134. Assured in manner (4-9)

135. Nigerian city

136. Incited (5,2)

137. Sheer

138. Astounds

139. Lowered in rank

DOWN

1. Late-night snacks

2. Confirmed as genuine

3. Selfish people

5. Morsel

6. Made amends

7. Barbie doll’s mate

8. Distillery tank

9. Vet’s patient

10. Nevertheless (4,2)

12. Finger joints

13. Lack of backbone

14. Contradicted

15. Stashed

17. Speckled

20. Sector

22. Typo

24. Battery segment

25. Deride

27. Decorate

29. Damascus is there

31. Glue

33. Misbehaves (4,2)

34. Colorants

35. Empty gossip

37. Rewrites

40. Cancels (marriage)

41. Peru beasts

43. US Arctic state

44. Igloo dweller

46. Calamari

48. Attire

51. Fuss

52. Thorny

54. Wipe out

58. Customs

62. Roughly (that date)

64. Criminal

65. Domesticated

66. Insinuating (remark)

67. Calling device

69. Martini fruit

71. Curdled

74. Initially

75. Actor, … Neill

79. Revenge actress, … VanCamp

80. Boasting for kudos

82. Prison warder

83. Dainty crockery item

84. Lion hunt

85. Die

86. Amusement

87. In unison (2,3)

89. Capital of Zimbabwe

92. Add salt to

94. Tooth

98. Placed in an aviary

99. Understood

100. Fronded plant

101. Loft

104. Storey

107. Flee to wed

109. Decreed

111. Shade of blue

113. Mum’s mum

115. Scepticism

116. Diplomatic aide

118. Anxious

120. Moreover

122. Wirelesses

123. Modernised

125. Most timid

126. Acne spot

127. Humble

128. Impair hearing of

133. Drain

134. Help! (1,1,1)