GIANT CROSSWORD
Choose between cryptic and quick clues to tackle the Giant crossword – both lead to the same answers. CRYPTIC
ACROSS 12
Gets hold of and disciplines (5,2,4)
13 Plant a number within
the protection of (6)
14 Profits from the
come-back (6)
16 Stop for an ad (4)
17 Man getting into a train
bundled in a sheet (9)
18 Isn’t firm ice (5)
19 Walk quietly beside one (4) 20 Disloyal and a nonbeliever (9)
22 Join at a quarter
past one (5)
23 Scrubs the marks (9)
27 A trip dad’s wise
to go on (7)
30 Drat! The herb must be
chopped to sprinkle in (6) 31 Drawing a large face
on the outside (4)
32 Persuading to unpack
half the bag (5)
35 A sore spot with
the fellow (4)
36 Had fallen and torn
the time before (7)
38 Fall, though not in a big
way, for a bore (4)
39 How you spoke to
someone trying? (7)
42 Burn the writing on
magic spells (6)
45 The two of us set about
being nice to (5)
46 Had come down on so
one paid one’s bills (7)
47 Something with feathers
– or fleece (4)
48 Hurt with a hydrogen
weapon? (4)
50 Says, as one gives
new grades to (7)
52 Taking a long time to get
to the point on pay (5)
54 Attacks plants (6)
56 Get in trouble about,
when only kidding (7)
57 Returned some of the gewgaws – stolen property (4)
59 One’s family background
reveals a comedown (7) 61 The name is white (4)
64 Not much to
contend with (5)
66 So-so: not raining (4)
67 Was heard and was seen
to have been dealt with (6) 69 Alighting and being
swallowed by the fish (7) 72 Are not unspeakable,
you argue (4,5)
73 Fly back, too, after mum (5) 74 Plant that’s not guaranteed
to bloom? (9)
79 It’s spring, miss (4)
81 Chuck it at the
hole, child (5)
82 Painting of a greyhaired man wearing a mortarboard? (3,6)
83 Hints there will be
extra money (4)
85 Notice, after turning
again (6)
86 Reconcile yourself
to and give up (6)
87 The debater’s forte? (6,5)
DOWN
1 Fun you have
playing tennis (4)
2 It’s hard to figure how
tall you are (6)
3 Having had a lot to drink,
raises the gun (6)
4 Squandering riches,
hard to love (7)
5 The name and number came up with “Available” (2,3)
6 Crotchety and of sickly
disposition (3-7) 7 Open again at the
end of August (5)
8 One garment for the man,
two for the woman (5,4)
9 Shout at the last
struggling girl (7)
10 Don’t allow to return
the containers (4)
11 Advances, from
the profits (8)
15 “Quail is a bird”, left in (6) 21 Having a go at, to
humiliate (5)
24 Will oppose, he reckons (7) 25 Two fifty and the
car is outside (6)
26 Run the pair in, caught
in the street (6)
28 Presumably the top
turns will be great (5)
29 Having to dress up
irritated one (3)
33 In women’s disguise,
I am delightful! (7)
34 Not hard cash (6)
37 Certain times of year when
the fruit appears (5)
40 A libertine, having no
firm attachment (5)
41 Shone, showing Alf
returning to the building (7) 43 Pull the male and
the female up (5)
44 Well in a few months (6)
46 Cut we were unhappy
about (5)
49 First to go in, make
a boob (7)
51 Angry about the
war, deserts (6)
53 Having turned the pages,
many sounded shocked (6) 55 Therefore the cover
is dense (5)
58 Manage to speak to and
obtain by means of (3,7) 60 Vocal support for nonalcoholic brink (3)
62 Not a gun man (5)
63 And to replace the name on the outside is essential (9)
65 Drug after drug –
it’s crazy (8)
68 There are many funny words meaning “throngs” (6)
70 Policeman don’t make
much money (7)
71 A card with a warning (7) 75 Seek to find the silver
hidden in the van (6)
76 Making work into play
is an alternative (6) 77 Button up close
to bridge (5)
78 Peeved by the word
“verminous” (5)
80 A shame it interrupted
the happy ending (4) 84 A little embarrassed by what the girl was wearing (4)