THE GIANT CROSSWORD
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
12 Are very important — are load-bearing (5,6) 13 Either a chopper or a boat (6) 14 About to go to prison, given time, feel remorse (6) 16 Flannelled fool or boob? (4) 17 Careless of Nigel, silly fellow (9) 18 Once it’s destroyed, live (5) 19 Turning to the right, run (4) 20 Neck and neck — and that’s flat! (4,5) 22 Tree resorted to, when schemes ABC and D failed? (5) 23 Short time it takes for show to flop in (3,6) 27 Man’s in mess due to drug (7) 30 Rake up dirt. Rotten (6) 31 Be forced to shave to top off (4) 32 A bit young for a jamboree (5) 35 Plan to have self and little daughter evicted (4) 36 Yell and clap (7) 38 Don’t think much of the band making a comeback! (4) 39 Pull out and put right back in chest, folded (7) 42 Guards the ship and those who are manning it aboard (6) 45 Finding half unsuitable, resolved to complain (5) 46 Agree son runs through money (7) 47 Small animal swallowing what vet gave it? (4) 48 Not bees you hear in the vegetable garden (4) 50 Removed coat — ripped off (7) 52 Little error. One L is left out of the name (5) 54 With herd stamping round it, shilly-shally (6) 56 Dressed for a run, ready to go off (7) 57 Hand the soft furry animal to (4) 59 Manage to survive, we’re told, having gone into hiding (5,2) 61 Up for the match (4) 64 By half past, everybody has a compartment (5) 66 Among males, seen not so much (4) 67 It’s when working week comes to a close, chum (6) 69 The remedy, if your zip’s gone (3,4) 72 Agitatedly warns sweetheart about, as it approaches (5,4) 73 Swag lad carries back to (5) 74 Stopping again and staring, distressed, around (9) 79 Shut up and run! (4) 81 Lying down, as before, covers over (5) 82 Demands instant payment now and it runs smoothly (5,4) 83 As pie, or a piece of cake (4) 85 Plead with one to go away (6) 86 Theory is, it will make a comeback in time (6) 87 Convened and were awarded simultaneously (3,8)
DOWN
1 Great fun dog has with it? (4) 2 Felt for key Pedro let slip (6) 3 Having wife get in trouble about is a pain (6) 4 Giving one time to put on underwear (7) 5 A string. It’s used to confine or restrain (5) 6 Mastered — the art of holding one’s tongue? (8,2) 7 A second theory has been all but exploded (5) 8 Idea that wouldn’t come to a straight-thinking person? (9) 9 Go off in step, assembled for march (7) 10 Said furiously ‘Fight!’ (4) 11 Not having done wrong in taking no money (8) 15 Who grassed on the bank robbers? (6) 21 After a time, she will lose heart and cancel (5) 24 Net a smash in and it is finished (2,2,3) 25 A lot of money blued stupidly. Pole had come into it (6) 26 Had bunged ‘west’ in, ‘north’ being wrong (6) 28 So it’s when wife leaves, going to church (5) 29 Prepared to become firm (3) 33 Tripper with a glass (7) 34 Said to have started right away (6) 37 Given a scolding, deserved it (5) 40 Class for actors in elocution (5) 41 Stands up for, fed up, and puts a stop to (7) 43 Become bright and cold: real change (5) 44 Having put one’s blundering foot in, relent (6) 46 Grasp it’s a problem (5) 49 Scatter seed round barrier for bird (7) 51 Pursue one in a horse-drawn carriage (6) 53 Little boy gets into wigwam. It’s a gift (6) 55 Having imbibed too much in snug (5) 58 Easy alternative to an alcoholic drink? (4,6) 60 Successful author who had try at verse (3) 62 The Italian chap is hiding somewhere in Italy (5) 63 Besiege and cajole successfully (3,6) 65 Roll one buys at the baker’s (8) 68 Whole tin demolished, cat goes off (6) 70 Fish — an angry dogfish? (7) 71 Rank as confidential (7) 75 Rang off in mid-speech to madden (6) 76 Went berserk over tiny drop in number (6) 77 Puts in oven. Hot, tucks in to (5) 78 Commonwealth Office in a street somewhere in Berkshire (5) 80 Required to authorise (4) 84 Appear to be, or look, married (4)