FRIDAY CROSSWORD

ACROSS

11 Scientist and author of Principia (6)

12 A domesticated bird such as the Sussex (7)

13 Plant with aromatic rootstocks often crystallised or used to flavour parkin (6) 14 Hawk; or a toy flown on windy days (4)

15 Derived from the latex of a tropical plant, a “resist” used in silk painting (5)

16 Woody plants such as elms, oaks and yews (5)

17 Damson-like drupe whose name is thought to derive from taking the tastiest morsels from a pudding containing said fruit (4)

18 A cue serving to remind an actor of a forgotten line or word during a performance (6)

19 A cage for a tame rabbit (5)

21 A prototype from which copies can be made; or, a made-to-measure designer garment (8)

23 Village shops and other retail outlets; or, an army or ship's supplies of ammo, provisions etc (6)

26 A crêpe; a drop scone; or, thick theatrical make-up/ grease paint (7)

28 Spiral-shaped pasta, also called fusilli (6)

30 Village, home to the UK's largest privately owned house (9)

32 Word for a branch to which one figuratively clings when said to be in a precarious position (4)

34 A jigsaw puzzle piece crafted into a shape such as a bird or flower (6)

36 An appetiser, pudding or other dish forming part of lunch or supper (6)

37 The principal room in a medieval castle (4)

38 Known to the Welsh as “hiraeth”, a word formerly for homesickness (9)

40 Author of the Little Women series of novels (6) 42 A nexus of things such as railway lines or roads (7) 43 “Featherless” bipedal primates with developed brains, genus Homo (6)

45 A gemstone believed to prevent crapulence (8)

47 An animal whose name is given to a person who is easily led (5)

49 A historical pillory-like wooden device in a market square for restraining offenders sentenced to public ridicule (6)

51 A line of football defenders forming a barrier against a free kick (4)

53 A hot coal or live piece of wood in a dying fire (5)

54 A boxer's “wingspan” (5) 55 Items offered for sale at auction (4)

56 A group of manors held by a lord (6)

57 Corkscrews or waiter's friends for removing corks or crowns from bottles (7) 58 Meaning “hand”, an organ keyboard (6)

DOWN

1 Unit of the fineness of nylon, rayon or silk fibres, often used to describe the thickness of hosiery (6)

2 A fishing fly designed to mimic a minnow (8)

3 A boy, servant or youth to the Anglo-Saxons, but in medieval times, a warrior or man of distinguished military rank (6)

4 Short word for the whisky distilled in the country with a national flag known as the Saltire (6)

5 A word for an operatic prima donna (4)

6 A quick freehand drawing such as a croquis of a live model or sitter (6)

7 Paper wrapper for a letter; (8)

8 Kitchen utensil for lifting a frittata or omelette (3,5)

9 A bite to eat; or, a cold spell (4)

10 A giant cloud of dust/ gas referred to as a stellar nursery (6)

20 Armoured vehicle that derives its name from the secret codeword used during its manufacture in 1915 (4)

22 The first letter of a word or a person's name, sometimes forming a monogram (7)

24 A plant whose threelobed leaves are used in the Girlguiding logo (7)

25 A set of 20 (5)

26 Sticky black distillation of tar; or, an area of ground for