TODAY’S QUICK CROSSWORD IS ON

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

12 Take more time before starting uni to get further ahead? (5,3,3) 13 Tiny — but for only a short time (6) 14 Prepare diploma for sending, or, to arrive (4,2) 16 Not that the man’s on time (4) 17 Labour to unravel clues in, unfortunately (5,4) 18 Carries infant and he’s heading off (5) 19 After pocketing small kitty (4) 20 On range, prepared to ride, dressed as guard (9) 22 A sign that leads one to make deductions (5) 23 Did one’s best — awfully tired — difficult (5,4) 27 Yet to come, is not agitated about (2,5) 30 Quickly, before school, taking to (6) 31 Bet it floats! (4) 32 Goes furtively into ‘Ladies’ Underwear’ (5) 35 The girl from ‘69’ (4) 36 Go away and can’t find your way back (3,4) 38 Smuggle one into the wreck (4) 39 Pen a farewell musical composition (7) 42 Many males have been driven mad by this girl (6) 45 Gather it’s not a right angle (5) 46 Going down in one’s genealogical record (7) 47 Complain about transport system (4) 48 Going back and forth is a performance (4) 50 Understands the captive is furious (7) 52 Worries about energy required to feed vehicles (5) 54 Gather you must pass it to be found acceptable (6) 56 Fellow is making comeback, performing to a big house (7) 57 Cover up for wife, taking blame (4) 59 Wants series broadcast day before (7) 61 As a people, are competitive (4) 64 Very important bottle containing it, I lost (5) 66 He has to turn to (4) 67 From entrance, take left and a left again (6) 69 Do they not allow us to have standards? (7) 72 Hanky-panky in book that was banned? (5,4) 73 What wound up royal into fury? (5) 74 Easy or not, destroyed blue mould (2,7) 79 ‘Pretty remote,’ I interposed (4) 81 Said ‘What’s that piece of metal in the bicycle shed?’ (5) 82 Until Eve came along, Adam was liable to err (4,5) 83 Silly dolt spilled the beans (4) 85 Continue to think back again about (6) 86 Sown in garden, will it shoot up? (6) 87 Am not allowed to debar, I must confess (4,2,5)

DOWN

1 As aerials go, is it a beauty? (4) 2 Add appropriate flavouring for the time of year? (6) 3 Set off the day after, worried (6) 4 Longed for, and, at the end of the day, deserved (7) 5 Pop round again when challenged to (5) 6 Off-colour joke? (4,6) 7 Blast hole on the rear with enjoyment (5) 8 Erred? Is past tense of ‘go’ incorrect? (4,5) 9 Understood great spread had been prepared (7) 10 By which cat entered in a panic? (4) 11 Surpass, as burlesque performers? (8) 15 Is sorry to find black one amongst the stones? (6) 21 Arrest for having skirmish (3-2) 24 Case the lady’s lost found vandalised inside (7) 25 Rut but a fashionable one to be in? (6) 26 Swag slips out. There’s a hole inside (6) 28 Tries to break the banks (5) 29 It’s ‘fish’ spelled backwards, kid (3) 33 Animal, badger, with bad cut and unsteady gait (7) 34 Batman disguised as a bird (6) 37 Looks after two sets of quintuplet daughters? (5) 40 On both occasions, dripping wet, I catch cold (5) 41 Having me take a certain course of action (7) 43 Stadium that’s new in the neighbourhood (5) 44 Not so much concerned with school work (6) 46 Cut dead: very cold (5) 49 I stand corrected. Time is nowhere close (7) 51 How about ‘a posh car and a posh school’? (6) 53 In stir, a scallywag and a scoundrel (6) 55 She’s a temptress — and that’s a warning (5) 58 What, for perm, one goes in to pay with? (5,5) 60 The deep note sounded (3) 62 Song about a girl? (5) 63 That’s right. Lead on top and wood underneath (9) 65 I have friends getting hold of it to make copies (8) 68 Treat badly, imprisoning a number to unnerve (6) 70 Weight having gone up, new diet’s adhered to. Had cheated (7) 71 I’m uplifted by books about our soldiers (7) 75 And in right order, though haphazard (6) 76 Unscrewing nut before DIY work, is disorganised (6) 77 It’s a tree insect, child (5) 78 Also constructing hospital in and a school (5) 80 Put to flight, run away (4) 84 Put left hand on (4)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

12 Increase disparity (5,3,3) 13 Sixty seconds (6) 14 Arrive (4,2) 16 The one here (4) 17 Unfortunately (5,4) 18 Carries (5) 19 Mail (4) 20 Guardsman (9) 22 Opposite of plus (5) 23 Strove (5,4) 27 Yet to come (2,5) 30 Quickly (6) 31 Boat (4) 32 Slithers (5) 35 Female name (4) 36 Go away! (3,4) 38 Wreck (4) 39 Musical composition (7) 42 Maiden (6) 45 Gather (5) 46 Lineage (7) 47 Complain (4) 48 Action (4) 50 Is furious (7) 52 Worries (5) 54 Assemble (6) 56 Big house (7) 57 Envelop (4) 59 Wishes (7) 61 Nation (4) 64 Imperative (5) 66 Male name (4) 67 Entrance (6) 69 Flags (7) 72 Skulduggery (5,4) 73 Anger (5) 74 Easy (2,7) 79 Equitable (4) 81 Uttered (5) 82 Not divine (4,5) 83 Related (4) 85 Continue (6) 86 Shoot up (6) 87 Must confess (4,2,5)

DOWN

1 Satellite aerial (4) 2 Time of year (6) 3 Cooked slowly (6) 4 Longed (7) 5 Ventured (5) 6 Tasteless jokes (4,6) 7 Enjoyment (5) 8 Erred (4,5) 9 Understood (7) 10 Panic (4) 11 Surpass (8) 15 Gems (6) 21 Quarrel (3-2) 24 Sheath (7) 25 Rut (6) 26 Loot (6) 28 Layers (5) 29 Tease (3) 33 Totter (7) 34 Fowl (6) 37 Ministers to (5) 40 On two occasions (5) 41 Action taken (7) 43 Stadium (5) 44 Instruction (6) 46 Cut in cubes (5) 49 Remote (7) 51 Public school (6) 53 Scoundrel (6) 55 Seductress (5) 58 Bank notes (5,5) 60 Ocean (3) 62 Song (5) 63 Right side (9) 65 Copies (8) 68 Disconcert (6) 70 Contorted (7) 71 Private soldiers (7) 75 Haphazard (6) 76 Messy (6) 77 Tree (5) 78 School of fish (5) 80 Put to flight (4) 84 Placed (4)