DT 26120

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 26120

Hints and tips by Libellule

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BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ****

A bit of a cornery grid, too many cryptic definitions, how does 9a work, is 16d cryptic? Bah humbug! In general an enjoyable Christmas themed crossword, what more can you ask for. According to a comment made by J, this is one of Rufus’ crosswords, but many thanks to J. for all of the crosswords he has set this year.

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish all of the Telegraph setters, the readers of this blog, and the bloggers a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Across

1. Christmas morning? Quietly scarper (6)
{DECAMP} – DEC (December) AM (morning) and P (quietly).

4. Where Cinderella goes at end of panto, away on coach (3-5)
{OFF-STAGE} – Cryptic definition, how Cinderella might leave an elevated platform used for acting on.

9. Lucky things to find in crackers? (6)
{CHARMS} – Cryptic definition, not something you would normally associate with the contents of a cracker, but this is a normal synonym for talismans or amulets. Anybody got a better explanation?

10. Big copper’s ex gets to greet under the mistletoe (8)
{OSCULATE} – A word meaning to kiss is made up of OS (outsize – big) CU (copper) and LATE (ex).

12. Carried away — like a Christmas present will be, we hear (4)
{RAPT} – Sounds like (we hear) WRAPPED is another word for entranced.

13. A paper decoration from China (5)
{CHAIN} – An anagram (from) of CHINA is a paper decoration.

14. Party includes a number in religious group (4)
{SECT} – Place C (roman number for 100) inside (includes) SET (party).

17. Trio with stable bearings (5,4,3)
{THREE WISE MEN} – Cryptic definition. They followed a star to bring gifts for the baby Jesus.

20. Doesn’t come in to say the carollers are ready? (5,7)
{WAITS OUTSIDE} – Double definition, we have seen another word for carollers a few times already and the word is WAITS and if they were ready they would be OUTSIDE your door.

23. He points to the three French birds (4)
{HENS} – HE, plus N (north) and S (south), both compass points.

24. Just an unknown feature on the tree (5)
{FAIRY} – FAIR (just) and Y (unknown).

25. The highlight of the Nativity (4)
{STAR} – Cryptic definition, the high light and the guiding light for the three wise men.

28. Christmas present drawer (8)
{REINDEER} – Cryptic definition, they pull Santa’s sleigh.

29. Crease in party clothes (3-3)
{DOG-EAR} – DO (party) and GEAR (clothes) is a fold at the corner of a page in a book.

30. Made a mess but switched on new tree, finally decorated (8)
{LITTERED} – LIT (switched on), plus an anagram (new) of TREE, and the last (finally) letter of (decorate)D is what happens if you strew rubbish around.

31. Pantomime character off course (6)
{CRUSOE} – An anagram (off) of COURSE gives us a character from a novel by Daniel Defoe, who also happens to be a pantomime character.

Down

1. Give one an order — to put up the ornaments? (8)
{DECORATE} – Double definition, to paint or put up the Christmas decorations or to honour with a badge or medal.

2. Wine in the first Christmas baskets (8)
{CHAMPERS} – The first letter of C(hristmas) and HAMPERS (baskets) is an informal word for champagne.

3. Silent act usually added to end of panto (4)
{MIME} – Just add the necessary letters to the end of panto to make the full word and you have an act without words, that relies on movement or expression etc to convey its meaning.

5. Happy directors provide Christmas fare (7,5)
{FESTIVE BOARD} – FESTIVE (happy) BOARD (directors). I assume this refers to a Christmas spread, but a search on google also seems to show that this is some kind of Masonic refreshment ritual as well.

6. Make a hit unexpectedly by sending up crackers (4)
{STUN} – Reverse (sending up) NUTS (crackers).

7. Come to life in an all-night party (6)
{AWAKEN} – The all night party referred to here is a WAKE and this needs to be placed in AN for another word for arouse.

8. Puts up the tree in secret, perhaps (6)
{ERECTS} – An anagram (perhaps) of SECRET means to put something upright.

11. Revises match arranged for today (9,3)
{CHRISTMAS EVE} – An anagram (arranged) of REVISES MATCH, is indeed today.

15. Kind of ribbon used for decorations (5)
{MEDAL} – Cryptic definition, the sort of decoration awarded for valour.

16. How a snowman finally loses form? (5)
{MELTS} – Cryptic definition (barely), when the temperature rises what happens to the snowman?

18. Lethargic and disorganised on a present shopping trip? (8)
{LISTLESS} – Cryptic definition, how you might feel if you forgot your shopping list.

19. Where to find a bird for Christmas (4,4)
{PEAR TREE} – Cryptic definition, where you would find a partridge according to the song.

21. Sung or spoken at church, a work like the Messiah (6)
{CHORAL} – CH (church) and ORAL (sung or spoken) is something sung by a chorus or a choir. Hallelujah!

22. Join up tinsel that’s come to pieces (6)
{ENLIST} – An anagram (come to pieces) of TINSEL is another word for enrol.

26. Do nothing like Jack in pantomime (4)
{IDLE} – A character from Dick Whittington is also another word for “do nothing”.

27. Winter coat, perhaps (4)
{HOAR} – Cryptic definition, a white or greyish-white covering of frost.