Five Christmas carols (5, 6, 5, 3 and 4 words respectively) have been re-arranged, and re-titled at 23/38 (4 words), 59/54/62D/5 (4 words), 87/12/74 (4 words), 20 (5 words) and 72/46A (3 words). A sixth carol (19 letters, 4 words) has been concealed in the grid under a new title (4 words), which must be highlighted. The initials of all six original carols can spell CUT BACK SWIM — COMFORT ICY DIGITS. Ignore an accent in 36D.
Across
1 Clocks measure time with seconds and musical rods (9)
8 Maths groups used for secret filming (10, two words)
15 Council reduced fare (4)
17 Get embarrassed once, when chap stripped me (6)
19 Poet is male but not good, having male characteristics (8)
21 Shocks the distressed may choose? (7)
22 Game represented mystery in play (4)
24 Accuser from Arabia sporting earring (9)
25 Suppose it’s a black card East advanced (5)
27 Notes are the wrong way round – I’ll delete them (6)
29 Cricket, perhaps, as part of party (6)
30 Three in one billion dismissed by magistrate (6)
35 Used Jack to leave in pain? (6)
37 Difficulty makes you sound off (5)
40 Advantage – and what it may result in, gaining another point? (5)
41 They take directions from sea (when Irish) (6)
50 On behalf of feudal lord, he took care with those in trouble (9)
51 Scottish fish race around Austria (4)
52 Mad Australian ace tried to get Root out (9)
53 Section of tanker oozes fuel (4)
56 Taken – in one’s strides? (9)
57 Test Match Special’s stalwart eminences (6)
62 Preparation for greeting commonly heard by Forces’ sweetheart? (8, two words)
63 Slate black, grim residential area (5)
65 A city like this musical piece (6)
69 Spellbound, when buds are loaded with this? (6)
71 Warmer land next to Georgia (6, two words)
73 Praise is out of place in exams (6)
75 Exposure keeps good man excited (5)
76 Wiping out former partner on the scrounge, they say (9)
78 Make drinkable ale instead, with hops? (10)
82 Look – hot meat (4)
83 Gangster backing group of women for cabinet (7)
84 Hard to swallow, unbelievable, lacking in credit (8)
85 Race at Celtic match is being prepared for audience (6)
86 Little honour among card players, period (4)
88 Least flighty maiden in isolated retreat (9)
Down
2 Amateur follows using passages (6)
3 Risk forgetting one language (4)
4 What may wag dog? (4)
6 Block a tackle using this sequence? (4)
7 Scots put out from first of ships at anchor (7)
9 Split cash from bill I paid (4)
10 Jumped, wearing a hat but no cape (6)
11 In range between soprano and alto, I make mistakes (6)
13 Perhaps born about number one, in olden times? (5)
14 It’s clever to include marketing situation with dispatch (7)
15 Plant spoke up before foreign spies (7)
16 Clue for Globe? (17, three hyphens)
18 Dumbo finally flies about aloft one day (6)
26 Some advertising’s not good or advantageous (4)
27 What was once sufficient is ultimately excessive these days (4)
28 Nut opens extremely secure old lock (5)
31 Clingy nun, crazy like a fox? (9)
32 Group of stars see son leaving old town (7)
33 I hit Mister Wrong (6)
34 Go away from dense mineral, found in the past (6, two words)
36 English ‘essayist’ getting help climbing? (6)
39 Badger, hero in old story (6)
41 Mostly charming player, no amateur footballer (7)
42 Top student one paid for work (6)
43 Term for parrot’s ‘a rook’ for former emperor (4)
44 Term for parrot’s ‘a rook’ for former emperor (6)
45 ‘Goad’ for ‘God’ (4)
46 Colt given up during ceasefire honestly (4)
47 Put end to doggish walk (6)
48 Make up honky-tonk showcasing wind instrument (6)
49 Fill up with food after swapping ends (4)
55 Jew can prove who he is (5)
58 Brave man’s without aspiration to become deity (4)
60 Superlative qualifier swam two lengths fast in the end (4)
61 The old shiver, opening the frame? (7, hyphened)
64 From the roots, rips out useless pasture (7)
65 Parts of wings united in great set of exam results? (6)
66 Madness of this moth – you could find method in it? (6)
67 French magistrate gets cold from bacteria (6)
68 FBI holding one of the French criminals (6)
70 Feels for dishes without sex appeal (6)
77 Great boxing takes place to get point (4)
79 Most of hunting party go away! (4)
80 ‘Ow to ‘urt a couple? (4)
81 Tree and its fruit make me no money at all (4)
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