You can find a link to the crossword
here and the answers below. Feel free to leave any comments or questions here as
you would do on
TfTT. You can find an index to the complete series of crosswords here.
Across
1 Man-eating monster returns in another gorefest (4)
OGRE
– Hidden backwards [returns in] anothER GOresfest.
4
Organised and clear
record of forthcoming appointments
(8)
CALENDAR
– [Organised] (and clear)*.
8
Get rid of
clue for "Verdi" (5,3)
DRIVE OUT
– A reverse cryptic… (drive)* [out] could be a clue for Verdi.
9
Almost, but not quite, time for bed (4)
NIGH
– All but the last letter of, [not quite], NIGH{t} (time for
bed).
10
Lots
of
old pairs of trousers
(4)
BAGS
– Double definition.
11
Sources of crude
artwork somewhere in Somerset (3,5)
OIL WELLS
– OIL (painting; artwork) WELLS (somewhere in
Somerset).
12
Arrival
of butcher and vet (6)
ADVENT
– [butcher] (and vet)*.
14
Listen out for
this Christmas decoration
(6)
TINSEL
– (Listen)* [out].
16
Weapon
search after eldest son is reported (3,5)
AIR RIFLE
– AIR sounds like [is reported] HEIR (eldest son)
RIFLE (search).
18
Such bottoms look bigger in some trousers
(4)
BELL – A whimsical cryptic definition based on the Fast Show meme “Does my bum look big in this?” referring to bell-bottom trousers.
19
Drink
you and I consume at home (4)
WINE
– IN (at home) inside WE (you and I).
20
Military order
for some blazing logs (4,4)
OPEN FIRE
– Double definition, the second a cryptic hint. Used for roasting..
22
Horse
box has fastening to secure bolt (8)
CHESTNUT – CHEST (box) NUT (fastening to secure bolt). The clue’s
a bit of a chestnut too!
23
Tall
plant found among giant reeds (4)
TREE
– [found among] gianT REEds.
Down
2 Judy's floral decoration? (7)
GARLAND
– Double definition referring to the famous actress.
3
Some twelve score
members of Christmas workforce
(5)
ELVES – Hidden in (some) twELVE Score.
4
Soft murmuring sound
from Bill's companion (3)
COO – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint (bill and coo).
5
Piglet needing several toilet stops on the return journey
(6,3)
LITTLE TOE
– Cryptic definition based on the traditional rhyme used when counting
toes: “This little piggy… went wee wee wee wee all the way home”
6
Grandmother eager to get
cotton fabric
(7)
NANKEEN
– NAN (Grandmother) KEEN (eager).
7
A new setter for The
Guardian?
(5)
ANGEL
– A N (new) GEL (setter). A definition by example
indicated by the ?
11
No longer having nowt, moved
away from London (3,2,4)
OUT OF TOWN
– OUT OF (No longer having), (nowt)* [moved].
13
Students heading off to become
breadwinners
(7)
EARNERS
– {l}EARNERS (students) without the first letter [heading
off].
15
Increase the size of
general supply (7)
ENLARGE
– (general)* [supply].
17
National
flag seen over hotel (5)
IRISH
– IRIS (flag; which is a sort of iris) [over] H (hotel in
the NATO phonetic alphabet).
18
Extremely blonde fellow's first Italian
suit
(5)
BEFIT
– Outer letters, [extremely], of B{lond}E, F{ellow)
[‘s first] IT (Italian).
21
Have some cake, perhaps, with tea after cycling (3)
EAT
– TEA [after cycling], i.e. moving the letters cyclically ->
EAT
Before looking at the answers, if you would like some additional help, click the label below.
Hints...
Some hints and tips:
- The title is the second line of the traditional Christmas song "Christmas is coming" hinting that there are some thematic answers that relate to the period running up to Christmas.
- 18A is inspired by the Fast Show meme "Does my bum look big in this?" and refers to a style of trousers.
- 5D requires knowledge of a children's rhyme.
- 8A is a reverse cryptic, where the answer is some wordplay that is a clue to "Verdi".
- At Christmas time you might roast 22As on 20A.
- The thematic answers can be described as a 12A 4A.
- In 21D "cycling" is a wordplay indicator that refers to putting the letters of the word in a circle and starting with a different letter.
And click on this label to get the solution.
Solution and explanation of the answers...
Definitions
underlined in bold italics, (Abc)* indicating anagram of Abc, {deletions} and [] other
indicators.
Across
1 Man-eating monster returns in another gorefest (4)
BELL – A whimsical cryptic definition based on the Fast Show meme “Does my bum look big in this?” referring to bell-bottom trousers.
2 Judy's floral decoration? (7)
COO – Double definition, the second a cryptic hint (bill and coo).
Great puzzle- especially enjoyed DRIVE OUT, OPEN FIRE,AIR RIFLE and OUT OF TOWN, Didn't know BAGS as trousers or the meme about the BELLbottoms but they both seemed likely solutions. I had Little Wee at first instead of LITTLE TOE so I had a vague inkling about what was going on. Luckily ENLIST gave me the T for TOE. Oh, and ANGEL and BEFIT were favourites too. All in all an excellent workout!
ReplyDeleteOops, I see it was TINSEL that gave me that gave me the T for TOE.
DeleteThanks. Glad you enjoyed it. BAGS for trousers is a bit of a dated term (hence "old" in the clue). Maybe it's a bit more dated than I thought.
DeleteGreat cryptic, John, very clever. I enjoyed it, very much.
ReplyDeleteVery enjoyable, thankyou
ReplyDeleteNo time for this as I did it on paper and forgot to look at the clock when I started. Doh! But it would have been a fast one for this lovely puzzle. LOI Nankeen was dragged out of a really distant memory, but otherwise nothing untoward and even the reverse clue (a trick which usually completely flummoxes me) was nice and clear. Bags also delayed me a bit - I find with DDs you either see them or you don't, and this one I didn't for ages, and -A-S is not the most helpful set of checkers!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks John and a good weekend to all.
Cedric
Great puzzle - but never got 10ac “Bags. Is it a slang word for trousers like “Kegs” in the North?
ReplyDeleteTook a while for some of the parsing - thought 5dn “Little Toe” was an anagram at first and wasn’t sure about Iris = Flag. Will have to look up Nankeen as well, as I haven’t heard of that either.
Thanks!
JamesEd46
Thanks. Glad you liked it. Well "BAGS" for trousers is a bit of a dated term - hence the "old" in the clue. Maybe it's more dated than I thought. Iris = Flag crops up quite frequently in crosswords, so it's worth remembering. Flag irises are popular plants for wet conditions.
DeleteThanks John. Will definitely make a note of Iris for Flag.
DeleteThank you - we enjoyed that over supper having had a busy day. Had to check that nankeen was really a fabric but otherwise, no aids.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Nankeen has come up a couple of times in the Times QC, but not recently, and twice in 3 days in the 15x15 about a year ago, but maybe I only know it from crosswordland. I hope the wordplay got you to the answer easily enough.
DeleteGreat puzzle, thanks, John. Very enjoyable. I whizzed through, though hesitated slightly about LITTLE TOE and had to wait for crossers to remember NANKEEN (made me smile). Also liked ADVENT, OPEN FIRE, BAGS, COO, BELL and all the festive clues.
ReplyDeleteCountrywoman
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.
DeleteExcellent crossword, lots to like, 8a entered “Drive off” at first till got the checkers. NHO “Nankeen” but got it from wordplay. COD 5d “Little Toe” which I entered thinking it was some sort of an anagram of toilet, and laughed when I saw the explanation which hadn’t occurred to me! Thanks
ReplyDeleteThanks Richard. I'm glad to have raised a laugh.
Delete