GIANT CROSSWORD
Choose between cryptic and quick clues to tackle the Giant crossword – both lead to the same answers. CRYPTIC
ACROSS 12
Casual description of the chair won in a competition? (4,3,4)
13 A trip for Tom? (6)
14 Goes off when one
doesn’t eat (6)
16 Return the blows when
you box with (4)
17 Shut up about the minor glitch, though it’s important (9)
18 Room required by the
band instrument (5)
19 See that half are
unwilling to (4)
20 Well, then, I must change
the colour (2,3,4)
22 It’s hard when arthritic (5)
23 Walked on, as
the sole is (9)
27 Does he do everything
Tom does? (7)
30 Spill the beans about
the meat (6)
31 Claim the grip (4)
32 The boy has a hard bed (5)
35 Back with a letter
from abroad (4)
36 Be told to make a
statement on the gossip (7)
38 The thread of the story (4) 39 Think it will be super
going out with me (7)
42 Tear off to get a tool (6)
45 Because the princess is
somewhat spoiled (5)
46 Miniature fish and dogs (7)
47 A left to last competitor in the singing competition? (4)
48 Getting help to
pass round (4)
50 Informed on how one had
spent one’s money (7)
52 You’ll write it for me?
That’s the spirit! (5)
54 Get a safe (6)
56 Yelled out “Get rid
of the cover” (7)
57 A stage walk (4)
59 Inborn, as is to be
expected (7)
61 Succeeding in the job (4)
64 Routine a doctor
gets sick of (5)
66 Be critical about the
large drawing (4)
67 And yet it’s seven,
roughly, to nothing (4,2)
69 The one alluded to
as “the arbiter” (7)
72 Plead, overwrought,
with the rest, staggering
in drunk (9)
73 Sees to be capsizing
and prevents from (5)
74 As opposed to a wellbalanced landscape painter (9)
79 Stand outside the
English pub (4)
81 To join the forces
will suffice (5)
82 When it collapsed
was known as (4,5)
83 A high-flier having fun (4)
85 Long to get the crazy gun
woman captured (6)
86 A long time back, incarcerated the silly old twit (6)
87 Stopping from stealing (8,3)
DOWN 1
One you stumble on in the travel brochure? (4)
2 Shortage that makes
trade terribly hard (6)
3 Quickly grab a drink and
forty winks inside (4,2)
4 Again sure to make
a comeback (7)
5 It’s equally good
cold, with jelly (5)
6 Thankfully, you reduce
it totally to shreds (10)
7 A snag that’s an irritation
to the cockney (5)
8 How the narrator spoke
with impact (9)
9 Granted there was nobody
who wasn’t in debt (7)
10 Follow back at one fifty (4)
11 The vegetable is better packaged, with holes inside (8)
15 Alight on the seat (6)
21 One’s curled round
inside in a loop (5)
24 Going back into the
fairground, see the plant (7)
25 The individual who got
through to the child (6)
26 Nips in the pants (6)
28 Long, being young,
to make money (5)
29 What made this blonde
a dumb blonde? (3)
33 Sumptuous residence the
fellow is turning over to (7)
34 Searches for capers (6)
37 Surrender the
produce to (5)
40 Many a tear has been
shed by the mother (5)
41 Score of the tune
composed you call
round for (7)
43 Fish for char, unusually,
catching nothing (5)
44 Is forced, by the
time, to hurry (6)
46 Be first and be
given a drink (5)
49 Also does duty as,
for the twins (7)
51 Strong jar a number
are put into (6)
53 To be prepared to
incarcerate us is stupid (6)
55 Manage to shield the
sun from, with trees (5)
58 Fairly competently,
more or less (6,4)
60 In fiction, are prone to (3)
62 How long it takes to
become literate? (5)
63 Plan to get a sad
picture of (9)
65 Arrived furled (6,2)
68 Will increase from
a penny, also (6)
70 The disapproval of many
will guarantee (7)
71 Work with an orchestra
and take to it (7)
75 Filter, at half the
cost, the water (6)
76 Claim, for instance, the
woman is upset (6)
77 Determined to get the
money back (3,2)
78 A comedy? That’s odd (5)
80 Kids in tatters (4)
84 A hole of one foot,
to the right (4)