Doc

Spectator Christmas party

At the Spectator Christmas PARTY(90) the TREE (42D) has a FAIRY (22), a STAR (78) and TINSEL strewn around (41, 42A, 50). The STARTER (or 81) is followed by 30 and 75 {3,3}. The TURKEY has come from France (67D), the GOOSE is accompanied by 20 and 31D, and the 102’s are followed by 15, 62, 104 and 109. The PUDDING has 3d’s in it (84). DRINKS (49, 58 {5-4} and 106) are then mixed at 91, 1A and 70, respectively. The table’s centrepiece is an ANGEL (114) and three items (54, 56 and 57) are placed in front of the STABLE. Entertainment by the DAMES (29/94 and 37A {5,4}) is followed by GAMES (12, 46 and 89) and three personalities (64, 88 and 116) from a daily CAROL. 50, 100 and 115 are the first words of three other CAROLS. All these solutions are not clued further.

BUT… four lines from one CAROL are presented as anagrams and each is entered in the 27 squares starting at the clue number turning halfway, through 90°.

7A We can gather at The Pond for hymn (six words)
18 Number three in a chorister’s fee (five words)
43 Sells holly (five bags) in Durness (four words)
51 North Utah sleigh ride went fast (six words)


Across

14 Eye is funny, not opening (6)
16 Like Westminster, Blair came out (9)
21 Victor Middleton regularly recording (5)
23 Side’s political bias on bowling? (4)
24 Not a straight fight (4)
25 Spaniel – vocalist has a pair (8)
27 City gent went on the rampage (6)
31 East London’s inner town (2-2)
32 Malnourished sailor left poor coot (3,3)
33 He saves energy? It’s just not true (6)
35 Sort of egg dish? (6)
44 Statesman Sean (4)
45 Portion of the New Testament edited (5)
48 Fire takes top off jalopy (5)
53 On a power cut (4)
55 Decayed skins of dingo and tabby (4)
60 Barely fed, out in burgh on the Tay (9)
61 Old king’s literary pseudonym (1,5)
63 Town riots in mid-Ireland? (5)
65 Vocab unit of Latin law by old uncle (6)
67 Estate roads with odd view among carts (9)
69 Café is in France by a motorway trap (9)
71 Mix porridge (4)
73 Mineral next to ash would be on land (3)
74 Supposing American turned mystic (4)
79 Answering, odd boss left responsibly (2,5)
80 Police are involved in drug bust (5)
82 Petrol has touch of acid as catalyst (7)
87 Country lake retreats (4)
92 Pearly King’s aim during festival (9)
96 Joint blocked by dead tissue (6)
97 Judge French art — Bear (6)
98 Presenter reading out two letters (6)
103 Movement in gymnastics rating zero (5)
105 Type of organ made by Mr Cooper (6)
107 Spoiled brat exposed (8)
108 Section of Riviera Quartet for Bach (4)
112 Foster-sister? (5)
113 Ashes in it, partly burnt (3)
117 Fighter is happy to, in fresh air (9)






































Down

1 Radical heroine – husband left (5)
2 Freezing on 1/12 up round pass (3-4)
3 Of course it’s safe (4)
4 Yobbos first out amid freezing snow (4)
5 Advocated support getting ‘arassed (10)
6 One of Les Six made of gold (5)
7 Cream the French relish (6)
8 Caught out around noon at cave (7)
9 Criminal, livid, gone out (4-5)
10 Actress spoken of every evening (7)
11 One hoarding for kids’ TV show (6)
13 Rowdy Scots starts drooling in anger (5)
17 English church...











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