THE GIANT CROSSWORD
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
12 To eliminate tension, ground all planes (5,3,3) 13 Make something up about a Mediterranean island (6) 14 Drat! I smudged the ‘O’ in ‘dexterous’ (6) 16 The broad at the supermarket isn’t French! (4) 17 Shining for only a very short time (9) 18 Lingered on a topic in which one felt at home? (5) 19 By a quiet street on the outskirts (4) 20 Pays to have final house built in (6,3) 22 Little brushes sold in menswear department (5) 23 Put up with, though most upset and hurt (9) 27 Why a mad passion made crazy (7) 30 What writer did when imprisoned? (6) 31 Man who could be Irish? (4) 32 A breeze — nothing to it. Pleasure (5) 35 Move to the right. It’s retrogressive (4) 36 Go off with cart, returning with motor vehicle (7) 38 Pop back, once having got to the top (4) 39 Sent off, get into bed, but object to (7) 42 Skips the body searches (6) 45 Or possibly he’s to straddle the animal (5) 46 Very keen to get photo of expert (7) 47 Excellent to use as road block for surprise attack (4) 48 Good buy when there’s snow and chill in the air (4) 50 Comes back when one votes into office (7) 52 Happen to have small quantity in our possession (5) 54 Made lug everything inside from flood (6) 56 Have in store for and send it off east (7) 57 A fan of nudity (4) 59 Try to get everybody into vegetarian food (7) 61 Dim friend with very little education (4) 64 With large feet, trapping fast (5) 66 At this point removing tin from therein (4) 67 Leave office when siren goes off, grabbing key (6) 69 One married couple seen going off in jumbo (7) 72 In pub drunkenly says ‘You’re the greatest’? (7,2) 73 Mark, with duplicate key, entering (5) 74 Light meals provided, right? (9) 79 Steal and get the lash (4) 81 Crooked d-deal? Rot! (5) 82 Member of the team in blue (5,4) 83 Actors admitting second act is awful (4) 85 Is always wrong way round and you amend (6) 86 Tune your mobile has (6) 87 Not talking — about to kiss each other? (5-6)
DOWN
1 Split the charge: about a pound (4) 2 Found having a meal outside (6) 3 Specifies conditions (6) 4 Is sure cutting hole through is important (7) 5 ‘Presents from sugar daddy,’ naughty girl said (5) 6 What person who first thought of windows for building had? (6,4) 7 One of the parents had unusual DNA. It’s of Chinese origin (5) 8 Giving me twice scribbled notes as reminders (9) 9 I’m bringing round tapes to play as entertainment (7) 10 Support dad right through (4) 11 Wasted on a girl? Shut up! (8) 15 An apple or a peach (6) 21 A role in ‘Separated’ (5) 24 He reckons it’s a token of some sort (7) 25 Chivvy other creep caught entering (6) 26 Agree there’s a pronounced odour (6) 28 Defends oneself against charges (5) 29 Jack has turned snitch (3) 33 Cheat deplorably myself, carrying a knife (7) 34 Established to have supported vociferously (6) 37 Plants run to seed, lopped (5) 40 Sliding, I’d let go of the support (5) 41 ‘In a little while,’ expressed pithily (7) 43 Called earth from accessible distance (5) 44 Well, that means winter’s over (6) 46 Bird imitations that are very funny (5) 49 Person who doesn’t mind waiting to see the doctor? (7) 51 Given directions, made detour (6) 53 Tax with wrongdoing and make pay for (6) 55 Drinks last of wine — a mistake (5) 58 Told in advance to get out of the driver’s way? (10) 60 As far as M for ‘male’ (3) 62 Resolved to start making a comeback, flop (5) 63 Understand correction is required. An S missing in ‘unnecessary’ (9) 65 Later, embracing, hug awkwardly, to our amusement (8) 68 Smart, young and careful with money (6) 70 As waves go, a cracker (7) 71 If upset, start faffing around, to begin with (2,5) 75 Eager to perform a number in, to entertain (6) 76 Capture trophy, awfully coy accepting (6) 77 Signals with lights (5) 78 Small and a big compartment (5) 80 Proper page margin (4) 84 Understand Kit lost it and try to find (4)