Christmas crossword
A bottle of Champagne will be awarded for the first correct solution opened. Solutions must reach Christmas Crossword, Country Life, Pinehurst II, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough Business Park, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 7BF, by Tuesday, January 1. UK entrants only. The answers will appear in the January 2 number’s Town & Country pages and the winner will be announced in the January 9 number
ACROSS 9 Celebrated badly when we surround threesome (11) 10 Make up time of promises with lack of serious intent (9) 12 Drag record pair out of
school (6) 13 Rate those working as detectives ending last part of news conference (9) 15 Bind record (4) 16 Asset myth about precious
stones (9) 18 Girl meaning to look confused by pretending to be poorly (11) 19 More sunny and more
intelligent (8) 20 Numbers teams (7) 21 Signs items of sports
equipment (4) 22 It’s no sweat using these
(15) 24 Girl left with fool (4) 25 Group take temperature
of city (4) 27 Present-day figure (6, 9) 30 Astound for a period of
time so to speak (4) 31 Let us in to make tool (7) 33 Hourglass figure of yesteryear (3, 5) 34 I count on fat to be
a rebuttal (11) 36 Extent to which a politician illuminated first undergraduate debating exercise (9) 38 Spice club (4) 39 Making public entry (9) 40 Huge fender (6) 42 Boxing day results?
(5, 4) 43 They can put a dampener on rowdy parties (5, 6)
DOWN 1 Card game held in police
van (5, 5) 2 Select from scullion’s
options (4) 3 How to give detailed instructions to rambler? (4-2-4) 4 Get wrong end of the stick from display of prim interest (12) 5 Hit the drink (5) 6 Prejudice is a disease (8) 7 Easy chance for poser (6) 8 Sends super method for
hanging stockings (10) 11 To see singer perform
invigorates (9) 14 Dramatic lie about being
contrary (11) 17 Poet right about line to
be walked (9) 20 Phrases for looks (11) 21 Star writer could be fifth
(9) 23 Limited in appreciation of dieter’s preoccupation? (6-6) 26 Fairly and competently
argue (10) 27 Dainty eccentric (5,4) 28 Roof that has a ridge, two gables and a pig (10) 29 Some depend again on devilishly quick fellow (5, 5) 32 Dome bent when buried
(8) 35 Rip off outerwear (6) 37 white-collar worker (5) 41 Perfect sweet (4)