THE GIANT CROSSWORD
CHOOSE CRYPTIC OR QUICK, THE ANSWERS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME, THE SOLUTION WILL APPEAR IN MONDAY’S PAPER.
CRYPTIC CLUES
ACROSS
Astonished by, but prepared 12 13 to swallow? (4-7) Performing in the nude, dancing: not accomplished (6) Returning in time. It takes time 14 16 to dress (6) Previously with ball point taking notes (4) Positive it’s not working properly (9) 18 17 Mitigated or, right away, erased (5) Figure the playing card is a club (4) 2019 From which little girl tried to grow her own necklace? (4,5) 22 Taking a ramshackle flat on the outskirts is disastrous (5) 23 Bird’s upset by trees being shaped? The sauce! (9) Those poor hens caged. It’s a crime! (7) 27 30 Keep sticking a needle into — it’s painful (6) Very little speaking part, but it’s a job (4) 3231 A number kept in safe, sadly are fake (5) 35 Rock back, unbalanced (4) 36 Valid reason for complaining about coffee (7) 38 Stand is low-backed; one on the inside (4) 39 Grasp a couple of pounds from the bag (7) 42 Pick up after a break in audition (6) 45 Understood the pet was upset by it (5) 46 Made a fuss about and acted oddly about (7) 47 Locked up: given prison time (4) 48 Charge for tow back (4) 50 Leafed through, or sampled some leaves (7) 52 How tall cockney is at young age (5) 54 Is always upset about, when you amend (6) 56 He’s pulling up the cork (7) 57 Cut out ad ‘Pad in south of Spain’ as incentive (4) 59 Brazilian city, to us very rowdy (7) 61 Bit of a shoe the angler reeled in? (4) 64 Fool by hiding in a gorge (5) 66 Thoroughly useless to doctors wanting patients (4) 67 To be blunt, a dreadful court (6) 69 The son teaches music (7) 72 ‘Unpleasant task’ is a lewd book (5,4) 73 Don’t let anybody into the courtyard (5) 74 Refusing to switch off, though one’s nagging (7,2) 79 Leave something out in the rubbish container (4) 81 Work out Leo’s roughly about five (5) 82 Are people more than up to their ears in such expenses? (9) 83 A minute, unpleasant creature (4) 85 Two thirds of Armenians are deranged — crazy (6) 86 Coins a word for ‘grey’ (6) 87 Award for Mr X (6,5)
DOWN
1 Knocking back drinks, tell yarns (4) Mean, when I point dent out (6) 2 3 One is wandering. Old, confused in the head (6) 4 Cook heard he left to become a waiter (7) 5 Strange one pulled up outside (5) 6 Free — not stuck on anybody? (10) 7 Fly across after an hour (5) 8 Buys drinks for and wins over (4,5) 9 Walk to the harbor from the field (7) 10 Stop providing support (4) 11 What children are mad about, at parties? (8) 15 Has a good time, admitted, though shocked by (6) 21 Old law, right? (5) 24 Leave waiting for rise (5,2) 25 Disturbance in the nick, not altogether racial (6) 26 In lieu of, I have fish (6) 28 Nervous when the numbers are increased by quarter (5) 29 What you called journalist’s paper, to tease him? (3) 33 A bit left over, I tuck into (7) 34 Embarrassed now, standing in awe (6) 37 After a day, the man having had more than enough (5) 40 Countries large and small (5) 41 No, it’s turning round at the depot (7) 43 Rats broke a hole in, to get the cooked meat (5) 44 Wee label for cake of soap (6) 46 After a century and a half, are prepared to absolve (5) 49 Down payment posted off, I occupy (7) 51 Give, in an elastic kind of way (6) 53 A number cut up rough about: complain (6) 55 At very top I sat, bowled over by the view (5) 58 Vigorous, virile and a commoner? (3-7) 60 TV series (3) 62 Some calling out in a strange language (5) 63 ‘Cruel’ without the u? (9) 65 Like the blooming light that’s going on and off? (8) 68 Hemming us in, stampeding herd ran (6) 70 Cheated and weight went up. Diet’s improperly followed (7) 71 Goes off again to Paris, flying (7) 75 Letters and — um — a bill (6) 76 Aunt is worried about mother (6) 77 Large mare romping round in the field (5) 78 Paper reveals man set about (5) 80 P-put on, or operate (4) 84 Sling that will help healing after injury (4)