THE GIANT CROSSWORD

CHOOSE CRYPTIC OR QUICK, THE ANSWERS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME, THE SOLUTION WILL APPEAR IN MONDAY’S PAPER.

CRYPTIC CLUES

ACROSS

12 Actually, it’s what you swear when in the witness box (5,2,4) 13 Because nice to wrap round as a precaution (2,4) 14 Turns off, going right to sleep, beat (6) 16 Love and write to, unreserved (4) 17 An invitation — to do as you like (2,2,5) 18 Wounded. Run through, in brief (5) 19 Amphibian caught by a little duck (4) 20 Having been given first aid after fight, being drunk? (9) 22 Announce in public (5) 23 Criticised dreadfully about awfully lewd content (6,3) 27 Wearer of the big dunce’s cap? (7) 30 Means of communication — could be cheeps (6) 31 Assistant editor, I note, is taken aback (4) 32 Unadulterated English baby food (5) 35 Small dead plant that’s been pulled up? (4) 36 Possibly taking an hour to go through various papers (7) 38 Notice a gentle trick (4) 39 Gather in prayer (7) 42 What stutterer asked for at a fruiterer’s, it would seem (6) 45 After a time out East, getting a liking for (5) 46 With scorn said ‘Involved in racket’ (7) 47 Sun close to setting, is not very bright (4) 48 Scam offering easy downloading (4) 50 Acquired the right to occupy and took with (7) 52 A no-good doctor has got in amidst (5) 54 Far more upset by the time I’m leaving (6) 56 Fastens, one understands, to keep the dog in (7) 57 Spike is a local: British (4) 59 Little e in ‘artifice’ (7) 61 It’s an American coin, stupid. A quarter (4) 64 ‘Love has captured the heart,’ lisp contrived to ruin (5) 66 Getting hold of Latin crib, a lamebrain (4) 67 Because then agitated about, hurry up (6) 69 Again, let out — or free (7) 72 Crudely crafted anagrammatic clue for ‘when’ (5-4) 73 Table at one end prepared to take ten (5) 74 A weapon in the herbalist’s armoury? (9) 79 Maintain, on reflection, it’s a gander (4) 81 Duplicate key. Large one (5) 82 Sections of cottage hospital, or where patients go on leaving them? (9) 83 Up for the match (4) 85 Tried to make a good person stray (6) 86 It once provided accommodation, to a degree (6) 87 For a rhymester, the basics (5-6)

QUICK CLUES

ACROSS 12 Actually (5,2,4) 13 As a precaution (6) 14 Disgusts (6) 16 Frank (4) 17 Do as you like (2,3,5) 18 Brief (5) 19 Amphibian (4) 20 Drunk (slang) (9) 22 Announce (5) 23 Scolded (6,3) 27 Chump (7) 30 Ability to talk (6) 31 Assistant (4) 32 Food pulped (5) 35 Unwanted plant (4) 36 Maybe (7) 38 Trickle (4) 39 Gather (7) 42 Seem (6) 45 A liking (5) 46 Scorn (7) 47 Stupid (4) 48 Incline (4) 50 Fetched (7) 52 Amidst (5) 54 Distant (6) 56 Fastens (7) 57 Spike (4) 59 Artifice (7) 61 Ten cents (4) 64 Ruin (5) 66 Fool (4) 67 Hurry (6) 69 Free (7) 72 Crudely crafted (5-4) 73 Catalogue (5) 74 Herb (9) 79 Maintain (4) 81 Duplicate (5) 82 Towards base (9) 83 Match (4) 85 Tried (6) 86 Degree (6) 87 Basics (5-6) DOWN 1 Support (4) 2 Holds good (6) 3 Outhouse (6) 4 Franked (7) 5 Wooden shoes (5) 6 Laughing (2,8) 7 Reason (5) 8 Notes (9) 9 Chatter (7) 10 Small amount (4) 11 Delight (8) 15 Annoy (6) 21 Depart (5) 24 Twins (7) 25 Bouquets (6) 26 Bets (6) 28 Row of bushes (5) 29 Snake (3) 33 Address (7) 34 Earlier (6) 37 Dessert (5) 40 Blow (5) 41 Luggage (7) 43 Put (5) 44 Burgled (6) 46 Dead heats (5) 49 Stopping (7) 51 Concedes (6) 53 Started (6) 55 Fly (5) 58 Late (10) 60 Golfer’s peg (3) 62 Builder (5) 63 Dies down (5,4) 65 Real estate (8) 68 Cooks (6) 70 Young fowl (7) 71 Ghosts (7) 75 Give (6) 76 Bird (6) 77 Irritable (5) 78 ‘Mark __ _ _ _’, author (5) 80 Trudge (4) 84 Tiny bit (4)

DOWN

1 Support dad right through (4) 2 And, in ways, still remains in force (6) 3 Left beast to roam round its quarters (6) 4 Prepared to be sent off, having childishly shown annoyance (7) 5 Stops to get shoes (5) 6 Laughing, isn’t diverted by. Is motivated (2,8) 7 Why the sauce has curdled (5) 8 About Roman carvings, made new notes (9) 9 Talk has the power to agitate (7) 10 Tops up a little (4) 11 Fields, catching with pure delight (8) 15 Bug — and it may sting (6) 21 Pull out and break (5) 24 Twins do get the blues badly (7) 25 Says the pair brought in bouquets (6) 26 Bets jokers and queen will be planted inside (6) 28 Hard to move barrier in the garden (5) 29 It slithers along equally quietly (3) 33 Going on about relative quantities, in the speech (7) 34 Earlier on, was strangled by the rambling rose (6) 37 Dessert ready, we tucked into (5) 40 Caught the yob with a blow (5) 41 Hussy put on the rack (7) 43 Put ‘Speed round about fifty’ (5) 44 Bob went berserk, angry about being burgled (6) 46 Pulls a chunk of grass up (5) 49 Swallowing, ourselves, one, pain is stopping (7) 51 Concedes, making allowances (6) 53 Having started work, need to get organised (6) 55 Dwarf, tailless insect (5) 58 Where smile of amusement might be concealed late (10) 60 Letter read aloud giving support (3) 62 So fellow is taken round by builder (5) 63 Fist fighting at an end, dies down (5,4) 65 Quality real estate (8) 68 Cooks for the crew on board (6) 70 Smart boy, but cowardly (7) 71 Mood induced by ghost stories? (7) 75 Give, by way of an indication (6) 76 ‘Possibly a pig,’ I put in myself, ‘can fly’ (6) 77 Taking part in protest, you are cantankerous (5) 78 Double A in ‘Mark’ (5) 80 Terribly old, under pressure soldier on (4) 84 A parasite bit (4)