THE GIANT CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

12 Is thought of as what a babysitter does (5,2,4) 13 Turning to a fellow with a soft hat (6) 14 Meaning omitting second-last letter could create a problem (6) 16 How often one got caught in (4) 17 Telling us to reach for the stars? Hard to do (4,5) 18 Design plan of the month; gold (5) 19 Get into order, of a kind? (4) 20 Continued — taking precedence? (4,5) 22 Mend rent I found in material (5) 23 Try to equalise in the game (4,5) 27 Make-up master concealing a disfigurement (7) 30 Falsified facts about street in directory (6) 31 Food reheated in hot cinders (4) 32 Useful member of staff; young (5) 35 He’s a dish! (4) 36 Animal foolish Cleo goes in to pat (9) 38 No points for identifying this bird (4) 39 An illustration is no longer enough (7) 42 Article said they’re for solo voices (6) 45 Flat note from father (5) 46 Bringing back juice and herbal extract (7) 47 Cooked for lunchtime by the daughter (4) 48 Taken to hospital: possibly gun wound (4) 50 Chicanery there’s little point in (7) 52 Tips. Large at first, then small (5) 54 Assume the note is for Neddy (6) 56 Allow nine imprisoned to go free, being kind (7) 57 For the record, the day is cold (4) 59 Garment that’s the duplicate of another, to aT (7) 61 What’s it worth to get little son into bed? (4) 64 Sudden and severe — but not grave (5) 66 Consequently, having gained, on liquid diet (4) 67 A boy, good gracious, caught the disease! (6) 69 Informs us they’re cattle food (7) 72 Gem that shines only at night? (9) 73 At the very top I sat, stupefied by the view (5) 74 Resist having to foot the bill (9) 79 They come four to a pack and are very good (4) 81 In French, all about river fish (5) 82 Plump up pillows on makeshift bed? (9) 83 How, in an animated cartoon, this tool would speak? (4) 85 Don’t leave me out in a downpour (6) 86 Take on, myself, upset by the subterfuge (6) 87 Frank and delivered in a flat voice? (5-6)

DOWN

1 A number confess to being depressed (4) 2 As before, someone trying to sell a tea-maker (6) 3 Darn pain! (6) 4 Mixture for a bad leg (7) 5 Soon, moving quietly, pry about (5) 6 Just having blondes on the brain? (4-6) 7 Pet name (5) 8 Smile when asked what the crackers are for? (3,6) 9 Predatory creatures Her Majesty is worried about (7) 10 Is writing, on the outside, the girl’s address (4) 11 Upset, myself, given a stiffener and hugged (8) 15 Coming to plug the whole (6) 21 To former wife, pretend to be faithful (5) 24 Frightened, as boy is by bad dream (7) 25 Flinched from cold east wind outside (6) 26 With wine on board, staggers (6) 28 Frightened, but not by the bull? (5) 29 What’s written on gravestone that produces a tear? (3) 33 Having drunk about a litre, lost one’s footing (7) 34 Stretch from two hours before midnight to day after (6) 37 Bargain with delicacy? (5) 40 Look — with top removed it’s a weapon (5) 41 Silly sap writing silly clue about medication (7) 43 Foolish granny — that is the cover! (5) 44 Getting out of bed is revolting! (6) 46 Blanched at ‘about half mile walk’ (5) 49 So I’m forced, time after, to use the sprinkler (7) 51 Sound grasp of what’s creating epidemic? (6) 53 Noises made as one lowers plumb line? (6) 55 Arrests for nothing to speak of (5) 58 Rake-off the officer got? (10) 60 Hand the animal back (3) 62 Rear end of small bird (5) 63 Investigating the defection to the other side? (5,4) 65 A note in the caprice? (8) 68 In the fifties, heat wave that was fatal (6) 70 Saying the insect’s swallowed it up (7) 71 Is a coin found in change in Cyprus (7) 75 One’s given hard time about, it’s true (6) 76 In a panic, he erased the mistake (5) 77 Blocks up, one notices (5) 78 Containers in which the author kept his ink? (5) 80 Try to make comeback, as cricketers (4) 84 Shouted out ‘Has left the building’ (4)

QUICK CLUES ACROSS

12 Is thought of (5,2,4) 13 Straw hat (6) 14 Puzzle (6) 16 On a single occasion (4) 17 Hard task (4,5) 18 Furnishing (5) 19 Put in order (4) 20 Continued (4,5) 22 Cotton fabric (5) 23 Big game (5,4) 27 Eye cosmetic (7) 30 Itemised (6) 31 Re-cooked food (4) 32 Useful (5) 35 Dish (4) 36 Animal (7) 38 Nil score (4) 39 Instance (7) 42 German songs (6) 45 Chaplain (5) 46 Book extract (7) 47 Accomplished (4) 48 Injure (4) 50 Trickery (7) 52 Leans over (5) 54 Ass (6) 56 Merciful (7) 57 Record (4) 59 Bygone jacket (7) 61 Price (4) 64 Severe (5) 66 First course (4) 67 Sickness (6) 69 Grazing foods (7) 72 Gem (9) 73 View (5) 74 Resist (9) 79 Playing cards (4) 81 Fish (5) 82 Makeshift bed (9) 83 Coarse file (4) 85 Stay (6) 86 Hire (6) 87 Candid (5-6)

DOWN

1 Depressed (4) 2 Do again (6) 3 Sew (6) 4 Combination (7) 5 Pry (5) 6 Unbiased (4-6) 7 Tantrum (5) 8 Smile for camera (3,6) 9 Predatory animals (7) 10 Long for (4) 11 Hugged (8) 15 Coming (6) 21 Precise (5) 24 Frightened (7) 25 Flinched (6) 26 Horrifies (6) 28 Browbeaten (5) 29 Tear (3) 33 Slid (7) 34 Stretch (6) 37 Negotiate (5) 40 Old weapon (5) 41 Gelatinous medication (7) 43 Silly (5) 44 Getting up (6) 46 Blanched (5) 49 Dampen (7) 51 Flu (6) 53 Noises (6) 55 Arrests (slang) (5) 58 Agent’s fee (10) 60 Sailor (3) 62 Rear end (5) 63 Examining (5,4) 65 Musical note (8) 68 Fatal (6) 70 Announcing (7) 71 Cyprus capital (7) 75 Above-board (6) 76 Fear (6) 77 Clogs (5) 78 Author, H.G. __ _ _ _ (5) 80 Attempt (4) 84 Outhouse (4)