THE GIANT CROSSWORD
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
13 Slow rate at which French food gains popularity? (6,4) 14 A factor in getting an electric cooker to cook? (7) 15 The more skint you are, the less you need one (6) 16 Pale, the boy was deficient in (6) 17 Awful bug a tot, swimming, caught from something in the water (7) 18 A round — or around (5) 19 The job queue (4) 20 Confess. Maid is released, having been given time (5) 21 Assess as good, having read desultorily (5) 22 Step down, as a rule, around start of session (6) 23 A funny fissure? (5) 28 Exercise at gym does prove effective (4,3) 30 Get a group of singers for audition (7) 33 Went to collect when needed (6,3) 36 Raging fire spread to church (6) 38 Eye-catching fasteners (5) 39 Reason nothing escaped from awful trap (5) 40 Someone lacking the substance needed to be a celebrity? (6) 42 Fewest in the final quarter (5) 43 The clue is ‘four-footed animal’ (7) 44 A fastener, old and soft on the inside (6) 46 Not the dove that left sanctuary during the flood (4) 49 How much to make little son get into bed? (4) 51 Something bought at bakery by railway (6) 53 Is therefore put back into new red file (7) 55 Appraise doggishly and don’t think much of (5) 59 Taking street directory, walk (6) 60 Letter is an irritation (5) 61 Jabs gently with sticks (5) 62 Small, loathsome, tailless creepy-crawly (6) 63 Easy to get anything other than Russian currency (2,7) 65 Open a case on the table to adjust some of the contents (7) 66 Recover almost all lost in Las Vegas (7) 70 The lights would be morning sun (5) 71 Thanks to good health (6) 73 What makes it become clear there’s a paparazzo about? (5) 75 Said it’s OK to communicate with (5) 80 The drive back goes very quickly (4) 82 Again in the mid-afternoon (5) 83 So it should be sprayed inside, guys, to dampen (7) 84 In the red, fight for a payoff (6) 85 So left the men worried and serious (6) 86 Twit in rage brandishing a rock (7) 87 Don’t bother — to get someone to escort you home? (5,5)
DOWN
1 Just thought ‘Sun coming out will help?’ (6) 2 ‘A little stupid’ is going too far (3,5) 3 Apart from one day in a rough sea (5) 4 Having been given a pasting in an assault? (7) 5 Asked, please, for food in bed (6) 6 By devising code, you start to lead astray (5) 7 Duck with unusual crest, capturing in the area (6) 8 Due to sauce having curdled, be taking over (7) 9 Good argument for having a forceful cabinet (6,4) 10 Lessen to a degree by time I’m to leave (5) 11 Caught cold. Caught real streamer (8) 12 Looked at said panorama (4) 24 The dog, dear, doesn’t have a thing to eat (7) 25 Grabbing key, leave, making no noise (5) 26 Follows back up. Duplicitous ruses succeeded (7) 27 Soft soap for a woollen fabric (7) 29 Think, having forced open, one gained entry (5) 31 To cap it all, it’s obsolete money (5) 32 Heightened colour (4) 34 Moves quickly and tries to conceal hole (6) 35 Quick to advise on sure-fire way to slim (4) 37 Stir to cook, love. It’s a rice dish (7) 41 Agree it’s black, needing a clean badly (7) 45 If you don’t mind, when consumed, throw peel out (6) 47 Clap double turn on a couple of pianos (7) 48 Policemen don’t make much money (7) 50 Had surpassed the other swindlers? (7) 52 Roll up a hill (4) 54 Game to wear (5) 56 Cast for f-fish (5) 57 Fellow giving father a lift to church (4) 58 Obvious we are trapped inside, curse (5) 60 Smart now, though heart-broken, caught in legal wrangle (3,3,4) 64 Can get involved in foreign city’s affairs (8) 67 All right for the ultra-fit (4,4) 68 Under ‘Information’ giving ‘Time left,’ as usual (7) 69 Taking upright boys around prison is an outrage (7) 72 Amount to a thousand. It is a tip (6) 74 A bit drunk, let fly (6) 76 Both wrong, bow out from the gang (6) 77 Pip gets one under way (5) 78 Dismissed, one fellow got up and left (5) 79 Endeavoured, as rain lashed outside (5) 81 A conspiracy story (4)
QUICK CLUES ACROSS
13 Very slow speed (6,4) 14 Factor (7) 15 Financial dealer (6) 16 Required (6) 17 Towing vessel (7) 18 Encircling (5) 19 Queue (4) 20 Confess (5) 21 Assess (5) 22 Step down (6) 23 Joke (5) 28 Prove effective (4,3) 30 Get (7) 33 Needed (6,3) 36 Violent (6) 38 Metal fasteners (5) 39 Trap (5) 40 Nonentity (6) 42 Minimum (5) 43 Dog (7) 44 Clamp for papers (6) 46 Songbird (4) 49 Price (4) 51 Cake (6) 53 File (7) 55 Smell (5) 59 Amble (6) 60 Letter of the alphabet (5) 61 Jabs (5) 62 Beetle (6) 63 Easy (2,7) 65 Perform surgery (7) 66 Recover (7) 70 Rays (5) 71 A toast (6) 73 Sharp sound (5) 75 Put on paper (5) 80 Jaunt (4) 82 Number (5) 83 Dampen (7) 84 Recompense (6) 85 Serious (6) 86 Rock (7) 87 Don’t bother (5,5)
DOWN
1 Not spoken (6) 2 Going too far (3,5) 3 Apart (5) 4 Assault (7) 5 Implored (6) 6 Deceptive lure (5) 7 Zone (6) 8 Due to (7) 9 Good argument (6,4) 10 Die down (5) 11 Nabbed (8) 12 Looked at (4) 24 Thick soup (7) 25 Noiseless (5) 26 Follows (7) 27 Woollen fabric (7) 29 Think (5) 31 Obsolete coin (5) 32 Pink (4) 34 Dashes (6) 35 Quick (4) 37 Rice dish (7) 41 Weighing device (7) 45 Gratify (6) 47 Clap (7) 48 Pennies (7) 50 Surpassed (7) 52 Duty list (4) 54 Game or games (5) 56 Throw (5) 57 Fellow (4) 58 Curse (5) 60 Very fashionable (3,3,4) 64 Affairs (8) 67 All right (4,4) 68 Usual (7) 69 Outrage (7) 72 Peak (6) 74 Small (6) 76 Crowd (6) 77 Pebble (5) 78 Discharged (5) 79 Attempted (5) 81 Conspiracy (4)