General knowledge crossword
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ACROSS
1 Former rugby union player whose name is given to the annual cup contest between Scotland and Wales (6,4)
6 Tests of agility and endurance to overcome obstacles on designated routes (7,7)
14 Gourds filled with seeds used as
percussion instruments (7)
15 Football team for which David Moyes is manager, — United (4,3)
17 The second book in the ‘A Scots Quair’ trilogy by Lewis Grassic Gibbon (5,4)
18 Familiar sobriquet given to a per
son (8)
19 Secular part- song performed
without instruments (8)
20 Pale green gemstone (7)
21 Descriptive of a person having emotions rather than being mechanical (5,3,5)
24 Port in Gwynedd opposite the
Isle of Anglesey (10)
26 River running roughly parallel with the Tigris for much of its length (9)
28 Surname of the politician who challenged Margaret Thatcher in the 1990 leadership contest (9) 30 Beatles drummer, Ringo — (5) 31 Type of pass allowing travel by
train throughout Europe (9)
33 Of whom Nicola Sturgeon recent
ly announced her disliking (6)
34 London terminus of the West
Coast Main Line (6)
37 The third book in the ‘ A Scots Quair’ trilogy by Lewis Grassic Gibbon (4,7)
38 Who conferred city status on
Dunfermline (4,7)
41 Hilary —, author of ‘Wolf Hall’ (6) 42 Beagle character in the comic
strip ‘Peanuts’ (6)
43 As fast as possible (4-5)
46 A place of entry; small arm of the
sea (5)
48 Christian Apostle converted on
the road to Damascus (5,4)
50 Restriction on the amount of money one can withdraw with a card (4,5)
52 People authorised by a bishop to conduct certain parts of a service (3,7)
54 Conifer traditionally decorated in
December (9,4)
57 Singer who had a 1987 hit with ‘I
Think We’re Alone Now’ (7)
58 Area of Glasgow known for its canal system and glass industry (8)
59 Forename of the author of ‘Gulli
ver’s Travels’ (8)
62 Large heavy outer garment
designed for warmth (9)
63 Cocktail of sparkling wine and
peach juice (7)
64 People invited who don’t turn up
(2-5)
65 Condiment source of umami cre
ated by Lea & Perrins (9,5)
66 Dance popular in the 1920s, named after a South Carolina city (10)
DOWN
1 The practice of giving a baby nourishment whenever it seems hungry (6,7)
2 Extremely inexpensive (4-5)
3 Of the ancient people who built
Machu Picchu (5)
4 Term for the three biblical Magi
(4,3)
5 The only US state to start with
two vowels (4)
7 Setting for the race called ‘Mara
thon des Sables’ (6,6)
8 County in Northern Ireland (6)
9 Sound broadcasting services for
a particular area (5,5)
10 Iconic Raleigh children’s bicycle
of the 1970s (7)
11 Road which runs beneath anoth
er road (9)
12 Describing a situation of immi
nent danger (5,2,8)
13 Artificial substances used to make foods seem more sugary (10)
16 Such as 46 in Scotland (3,4)
22 Describing a wing of a political party which is very conservative (4,5)
23 Describing the schemes in ‘To a
Mouse’ by Burns (4-4)
25 L-shaped bar used to turn bolts
(5,3)
27 Items of furniture at which cus
tomers sit in a cafe (3,6)
29 Physical activities encouraged
for good health and fitness (9) 32 Final Sherlock Holmes novel by
Conan Doyle (3,6,2,4)
33 West Lothian band whose new
single is called ‘Knuckles’ (3,5) 35 Tongue-twister: ‘She sells — on
the Seashore’ (9)
36 Examines (8)
39 Sitcom which starred Harry H. Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell as rag-and-bone men (7,3,3)
40 What soft means when describ
ing a drink (3-9)
44 Birthplace of Mary Queen of
Scots (10)
45 Device used for accurate measurements of the thickness of small components (10)
47 The last novel of Franz Kafka (3,6) 49 Siren of Germanic legend linked
to the Rhine river (7)
51 Area of Edinburgh where Inspector Rebus has his home in Ian Rankin’s novels (9)
53 Short trips made for pleasure
(4,3)
55 The hammer of Thor in Norse
mythology (7)
56 Multi-award winning film of 1962,
‘Lawrence of —’ (6)
60 Passage in a supermarket
between shelves (5)
61 Soft white inner skin of an orange
(4)