A quotation (in ODQ), starting on the appropriate side of the grid, runs clockwise around the perimeter. The other unclued entries (one of two words, one of three words), will show solvers the event being described, interrupted by some disposals. The original author of the quotation, found in anagrams in symmetrical answers, must be highlighted, as must the name in anagram form of the poet who wrote about the ‘event’.
A first prize of £100, three prizes of £25 and six further prizes of The Penguin Book Quiz: From The Very Hungry Caterpillar to Ulysses by James Walton will be awarded for the first correct solutions opened. The first four winners will each also receive a bottle of champagne. Entries by 20 January to: Christmas Crossword, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP.
Please include a phone number. This is to arrange delivery if you win champagne.
Across
14 Crazy Koresh’s leader in Texas town (5)
15 Officials born between 21st April and 20th March? (8)
16 Medicine dealing with stress (5)
18 Old curse used by renegade (4)
20 Tree stump’s origin is so old (6)
21 Historian hosted our play (9)
22 Someone who’s overwhelmed by dinner-dance? (4)
23 Threefold audition for tenor (5)
25 Three kings admitted by mother are supplying old currency (6)
26 Be inclined to imbibe fashionable discounted wine (6, hyphened)
29 Despair, changing these? (7)
31 Can we tell who’s written mysteries? (6)
32 Worshipped one in the form of a volcano (6)
33 Fitness system, turning club over (5, hyphened)
34 Extreme cult deposing leader and god (5)
36 Very soft clay moulded by artist eventually (5)
37 Celebrity centrists in revolution excluding identical characters (7)
42 Citizen interrupts solid performance (7)
44 Without question, queen has a right to upset princess (5)
45 Lord of gospel (5)
46 Extreme characters answer calls to prayer (5)
47 Contacts teacher initially abandoning Latin verb forms (6)
48 Full-figured behind, wearing new line (6)
50 Like glance ignoring a cavity (7)
52 Yankee deputy, commonly one who cries? (6)
56 Spoil naughty child with assumed manner (6)
57 Dancer game to cycle? (5)
58 Investigative, like a big snitch? (4)
60 One big team left in trouble, up for qualification? (9)
63 Eating nothing like Swiss cheese in party (6)
64 ‘Friend’ dropping container in trip (4)
65 Troy seized in action revolting emperor (5)
66 Wearier referees backing entertaining Portuguese footballer (8)
67 Halal cooking — for his followers? (5)
Down
2 Paddy changed gear for Vogue (4)
3 Panic, unusually, and scuffle (7)
4 To go off, avoiding a stroll (6)
5 Keen on horse short of power (4)
6 Death is time to stop doing the right thing (9)
7 Classic shipboard plants? (4)
9 Trend which recent ideas encapsulate (4)
10 Labour chief not quite accepting support of Jews? (7)
11 Dye is one compound (5)
12 Some fans were doubly fulfilled (8)
16 Tent poles initially said to make this structure (4)
17 I love a new man from Wales (4)
19 Blue liquid to heal Miss Piggy, say? (7)
24 Fanatic endlessly supporting right politician (5)
25 One acting wrongfully ruined some fairs (9)
26 European venture truncated wine bottle (9)
27 Dog nearly eats Northern meat dish (7)
30 Each mile covered by Trump is warmer (7)
33 Wine lacking volume and weight in China (4)
35 Social workers found in underwear by priest (4)
39 Result of long trek, in encumbered estate (7, two words)
40 Extraordinary US artiste showing ordinary range (9)
41 How one paces a Spanish instrument (5)
43 Identifying tone from phone number they used regularly (8, hyphened)
47 Understatement is inaccurate about drink (7)
49 Tangle to bloom in bank of gravel (7)
51 Witch absent in private book (6)
53 Recollected promise to pay Euros for shout at bar? (4)
54 Choice to hold one javelin (5)
55 Seeing things? Wipe away the tears, at last (4)
59 Tasar? Indian uses this (4)
60 Formally qualified for athletics event (4)
61 Technique for dyeing pink pants from time to time (4)
62 Live bullets’ material (4)
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