CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Kind of tattie put on for a posh dinner? (6) 4 Pudding came with rice, strangely (3,5) 9 2Dn outdoor shopping, once common in Europe (6) 10 Hung up at 2Dn, gold label on front of books (8) 12 Festive, perhaps, in this way? (8) 13 One skidding on ice takes off, ending on rear end (6) 15 Laplander starts Santa’s answering machine indicator (4) 16 Munroes and Ben could be record peak at 2Dn like Queen and Mr Blobby? (6,4) 19 Disguised Santa, with remarkable poise, is mercurial (10) 20 See 2 Down 23 Deserved a reindeer flying without internal wires (6) 25 Angrily leaves flickering candlelight – airy persiflage! (4,4) 27 24 hours left, the first Ice Holiday break in early stone-age (8) 28 What the night was to 2Dn where Donner and Blitzen appeared (6) 29 Drunkards coming back, bars drunkard (8) 30 See 3 Down

DOWN

1 Long, perhaps, or high, and usually lurid at 2Dn (7) 2/20 Arrest chemist that’s turned out to be the source of dropped needles (9,4) 3/30 Severe nipple twisting received on January 4th? (6,6) 5 Part of a hand might rest on the mantlepiece at 2Dn (4) 6 2Dn givers of hats and nuts (8) 7 Still time before 2Dn, not disheartened (5) 8 2Dn broadcast ignores outsiders’ god (7) 11/24 Be good and obey all laws – Noel routs flu panic (5,2,5) 14 Tips off Robin Redbreast, desperately denying arson in current recession (3,4) 17 Greatest amount of latitude in workshop situation (5,4) 18 I’ve come in like 2Dn 20Ac to paint the town red (4,2,2) 19 26Dn spirit Scrooge received (7) 21 Turkey or duck, perhaps occasionally seen things to be trimmed at 2Dn (7) 22 The old-fashioned men – last Magi from Eastern land (6) 24 See 11 26 Something under 2Dn 20Ac provided in good time (4)