Daily Answers

1-across – Head off disaster, having a party with fruit : AVOCADO

5-across – They hold the shooters’ ammunition before the shelling starts : PEAPODS

10-across – She takes part in a Victorian nativity play : ANNA

11-across – Happy 16 across turns out to be unauthentic : APOCRYPHAL

12-across – Warming drink that takes some beating : EGGNOG

13-across – Crying, small boy rejects gift : FLAGRANT

14-across – They put a word in when required on stage : PROMPTERS

16-across – Girl’s name on many people’s lips at Christmas : CAROL

17-across – Cause embarrassment at a party : ABASH

19-across – Many awakening us with their 28 across : CAROUSING

23-across – Touch of viral infection? Shiver! : FEELCOLD

24-across – Marital relations welcomed over Christmas? : INLAWS

26-across – Tonic water possibly keeps you warm over Christmas : WINTERCOAT

27-across – Drink at Sheba’s place? : BEER

28-across – Noisy celebrations in back bar at the turn of the year : REVELRY

29-across – They’re to be found in the stable at the inn : OSTLERS

2-down – In grave trouble, certainly in a pickle : VINEGAR

3-down – A paper decoration from China : CHAIN

4-down – Drink to give us the shivers? : DRAUGHT

6-down – Organ swell may affect one’s hearing : EARWAX

7-down – Apt phrase to describe party wear? : PAPERHATS

8-down – Attracted by inconclusive result in game, not settled : DRAWNTO

9-down – 16 across that provides glad tidings of rest with happiness : COMFORTANDJOY

15-down – A Christmas overhead? : MISTLETOE

18-down – No deviation from a working party policy? : BEELINE

20-down – Mince pies to include a number of drugs : OPIATES

21-down – Occasion for facing the future with resolution : NEWYEAR

22-down – New route right for sightseeing visitors : TOURER

25-down – A bell-shaped attachment to the Christmas parcel : LABEL

1-across – Drug in wrong receptacle for narcotic user : ASHTRAY

5-across – Part of train with kind of light meals provider : CARVERY

10-across – US city backed removing one Arab leader : IMAM

11-across – Wrecked a car 26? The fourth time’s close, to be fair : ATTRACTIVE

12-across – 26 as hard in a moment : THRICE

13-across – A stream running through a second US city : AMARILLO

14-across – 26 small piece of bread’s included with one cake : SWISSROLL

16-across – See 26 : ALADY

17-across – Pink hit : KNOCK

19-across – Paint mixed on a crude table top : UNDERCOAT

23-across – Basic principle by which Piglet holds stupid Eeyore’s tail : RUDIMENT

24-across – God has never-ending position within the big leagues : MAJORS

26-across – Gag? A gag! A gag? A chart-topper! : THREETIMES

27-across – Bird, one taking fewer than 26 : IBIS

28-across – Prepared for print last of the 26, finally entering petty revision : TYPESET

29-across – Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream starts with European 26 going round estate : DEMESNE

2-down – Problem broadcasting Doctor Who, one way or another : SOMEHOW

3-down – Lacking acceleration, 26 attempt it to attain notable speeds : TEMPI

4-down – A drink served up after Greek character’s eaten ham : AMATEUR

6-down – Old tape machine with a 26 alternating screen image : AVATAR

7-down – Civil unrest involves group of 26 dropping by, becoming bitterly abusive : VITRIOLIC

8-down – Verbally attacked by man of God over shoplifting : REVILED

9-down – Italian girl not married by the book? I’m OK either way : ITSALLONETOME

15-down – Utter contempt, say, in poor Sir Alec’s case : SACRILEGE

18-down – Bad as a thug on the loose in Manhattan? : NAUGHTY

20-down – Mother’s in sight, possibly topless or in the altogether? : ENMASSE

21-down – Charge for the audience as a rule : ARRAIGN

22-down – Film car getting gas? 26 it’s said for effect : BEETLE

25-down – See 22 : JUICE

9-across – Man enters dock, heading off for the country : ARGENTINA

10-across – Contemptible person steals one from a woman : LOUSE

11-across – Trespass in exchange for mould : EXTRUDE

12-across – The place to give us capitalisation? : AMERICA

13-across – Praise first wife, many reflected : EXTOL

14-across – Stroke uncle with a ruptured spleen : PETULANCE

16-across – The King’s film shows soldiers holding hands, again and again : GIRLSGIRLSGIRLS

19-across – Music maker is hurt tossing a coin : HARMONICA

21-across – Order back ruler ceding half an Arabian city : MOSUL

22-across – Thorny fruit cut nurses tights, top to bottom : ROSEHIP

23-across – Puzzle book — turn cover first : DILEMMA

24-across – Dim headlights when animal crosses : BLEAR

25-across – Cut short street party building to a climax : CRESCENDO

1-down – On mine, you’ll get this: A bore has a big one : WAVELENGTH

2-down – Georgia flicked it at soldiers, being a troublemaker : AGITATOR

3-down – Obsessive about Homeric character in book : ANNUAL

4-down – Looking up a little, seeking victory : NIKE

5-down – Dance on pitch before animal drops off parent : TARANTELLA

6-down – Iris pursues a butterfly seen flying on some beaches : BLUEFLAG

7-down – Calendar guy? : JULIAN

8-down – Great match — second half on top : MEGA

14-down – Tirades delivered after man snaps : PHILIPPICS

15-down – American state where dollars ’ave circulated since 2001 : ELSALVADOR

17-down – Wraps up old woman in smalls : SMOTHERS

18-down – Groundsman extremely relieved, falling for a woman : ROSAMUND

20-down – Tree south of Reading, for example, is looking more healthy : ROSIER

21-down – Rising before noon, 10s reveal hostility : MALICE

22-down – Stone put in ground, the odd bits moving : RUBY

23-down – Learned judge gave millions to gain power, ultimately : DEEP

1-across – Knocked about a lot, as veteran campaigners? : INTHEWARS

6-across – Painter’s material : ROPE

8-across – Pulling up and filling up : STOPPING

9-across – Wild parrot, a bird of prey : RAPTOR

10-across – Grinds away at university course, say : GRATES

11-across – Remote chance for a sniper? : LONGSHOT

12-across – Ancient city’s role in South Africa : SPARTA

15-across – Abandon wickedness? Not this woman : SHEDEVIL

16-across – Clock at one perhaps? Have a drink : COCKTAIL

19-across – Gift for producing story book in abbreviated form : TALENT

21-across – Try repeatedly to express approval : HEARHEAR

22-across – Gun dog disturbed a mammal : DUGONG

24-across – Staff, say, joining English riding school : MANEGE

25-across – Graduate as a footballer? : HALFBACK

26-across – Small supports in the river : TEES

27-across – Ships carrying right pennants : STREAMERS

1-down – Put down as late : INTER

2-down – He will have marked cards, of course : TIPSTER

3-down – Departures could be set about eleven : EXITS

4-down – Guardian supported by American in prayer : ANGELUS

5-down – Rigid line taken by hospital department : STRINGENT

6-down – So Tripe is silly retort : RIPOSTE

7-down – In favour of moving to get a better job? : PROMOTION

13-down – Walk recollected in Arden poem : PROMENADE

14-down – Various news areas provide knowledge : AWARENESS

17-down – We hear officers are at the heart of things : KERNELS

18-down – One staggering on all fours? : LURCHER

20-down – Good characters are, for example, caught in wicked libel : LEGIBLE

22-down – A current coastal issue : DELTA

23-down – Cuts with no sound : NICKS

1-across – Very cold parrot starting a course of action : POLICY

5-across – Prehistoric flint head of the Spanish distant conflict : ELFARROW

9-across – Use ropes flexibly on the surface, raised in relief : REPOUSSE

10-across – How did little devil behave? With shock! : IMPACT

11-across – Sheriff yodelling is a bit dubious : IFFY

12-across – So a hug upset outstanding girl? 15 needed! : ENOUGHSAID

13-across – Regenerates us? Does getting pickled? : SOUSED

14-across – Charlie gets back around mid-morning, overdue — turning a dull grey colour : GUNMETAL

16-across – Stone me! Belonged to you a long time ago, in a way : AMETHYST

19-across – Fetching a number of Romans by order to see : COMELY

20-across – Home counties copper, god of the house, is beginning to move to a worldly way of thinking : SECULARISM

22-across – Quits flat : EVEN

23-across – Crooked cashier withdrawing a lot of material possessions : RICHES

24-across – Overcome journey, say, from the kitchen garden? : BEETROOT

25-across – Distress with endless problems one day before : AGGRIEVE

26-across – Cast, say, from Windsor chair? : THRONE

2-down – Nothing against a bit of work — to keep busy I left women for an overbooked gathering : OVERFLOWMEETING

3-down – Sarcastic talk brings club to untimely end : IRONY

4-down – In the past dry, yet sea rough … : YESTERDAY

5-down – … soon, for example, about half London may be engulfed : ERELONG

6-down – Chuck, for starters, fish left in neighbour’s garage : FLING

7-down – Quick answer in practice is incentive to get up : RIPOSTE

8-down – Almost never related to astronomy! : ONCEINABLUEMOON

15-down – On about messieurs : NOCOMMENT

17-down – Harder time getting old? How repugnant for the Queen : TOUGHER

18-down – Protective cover, enough for a very little tot : THIMBLE

21-down – A key that leads to a hitch? : AISLE

22-down – English bishop takes gold? Whoops! : ERROR