GIANT FESTIVE CROSSWORD

Give your brain a good workout with our bumper Christmas puzzle

ACROSS

1. Fruit from South Africa initially - a must, surprisingly (7)

15. One commits an offence, following artist with fruit (7) 19. Audibly praises those a-leaping (5)

20. Fruit making son rage terribly (7)

21. See 213 Down. 23. Average spiritualist (6) 24. Swimmers, pale, on board ship (5)

25. Section of play being observed, we hear (5) 26 and 35. Ten in slight trouble with Carol (6,5) 28. Sluggish, reportedly, from blackthorn fruit (4) 29. Honour second egghead, very fat (5)

30. Former partner with writers initially estimating cost (7) 31. Number of maids a-milking scoffed audibly (5)

32. Drinks found in rooms upstairs (4)

33. Intend to be like Scrooge (4)

34. Be sparing and omit about 1000 (5)

35. See 26 Across. 36. Minute fragment for a male cat (4)

37. Repeat some of the chords (4)

38. Doctor, for example, with seconds remains (5) 41. Man with fish (3)

43. First of shoppers with small sum of money for perfume (5)

46. Pass lightly over second girl (4)

47. Convert aches from pursuit (5)

53. A pose unusual for a Greek author of fables (5) 55. Kind searched for, reportedly (4) 58. Doctor holding rings finding entrance (4) 59. Adornments sad trio once removed (11) 60. Caledonian initially seeing crib (4)

61. Song of praise the man heard (4)

63. List of dishes for fellows seen with upstart (4) 64. Four gentlemen concealing strong impulse (4)

65. Official order from rude creep (6)

66. Baked food, cold, a king eats firstly (4) 67. Presents for US soldiers going round fort (5) 68. Something valuable when fixed (5)

69. Celestial body firstly seen by sailor (4) 70. Everyone initially upset about appeal (6)

71. Man of wisdom identifying herb (4)

76. Gain said vase (4) 78. Match for partridge? (4) 80. See 40 Down.

83. Youth leader with nothing repeatedly getting toy (22)

86. Holy person at home during day (5)

87 and 108. Gang leader with ancient jewellery sent on fifth day? (4,5) 88. Turkey? Disgusting, by the sound of it (4) 89. Raced off to get tree (5) 91. Start with wrong notes (5) 93. Nominate professional with attitude (7)

97. Bird of prey and hound not starting (5)

98. A boy in said pantomime (7)

99. See pimple (4)

101. Vestment for awful bore

(4)

103. Christmas cake getting

burnt? (4,3)

104. Nobleman seen with unknown at the crack of dawn (5)

108. See 87 Across.

110. Five involved in unusual trade producing commercial (6)

112. Sloping sharply? That’s

unreasonable (5) 113. In Munich, urchins find a

place of worship (6) 115. Quiet youth leader admitting blunder with wine (6)

118. Some Essex tradesman a minor actor (5)

120. A fib about Conservative

woman (5)

121. Call after holy person for

twine (6)

123. Rag us, spilling sweet

substance (5)

124. Plod off, hot, with popular

sea mammal (7)

125. Separate before end of

rowdy celebration (5) 126. Models breaking rarely (6) 128. Amend novel when called

(5)

129. Like Scrooge when drunk

(5)

130. Finish first attempt, cold

(6)

132. It’s about girl’s eye

membrane (6)

134. Metal for Nick, reportedly

(5)

135. Tell trendy school class

(6)

138. Female with broken seat

for banquet (5)

142. Superfluous ornament

making father sick (5) 145. Popular judge terribly rude

when hurt (7)

146. Dinner for 1000 with free

ale? (4)

147. Remarks from a youth

initially on board ship (4) 149. Anticipate golfer’s warning

shout before witness (7) 150. Burn a novel relating to a

town (5)

151. Very energetic cad in my

broadcast (7)

153. March off with amulet (5) 154. Cook’s question (5) 155. Spoil end of play with

Joseph’s wife (4)

156. Knock said shawl (4) 158. Pass out if ant moves (5) 159. Sour flan (4) 162. Testify falsely, taking in six

from celebration (9) 166. Policemen using wood,

say (4)

168. Soft fish skin (4)

170. Ring found in second house in part of London (4)

172. Southern piece of furniture

that’s steady (6)

173. Impatient desire concealed by fit characters (4)

174. Pick off-white (5)

175. Gang leader with girl’s

drinking vessel (5) 176. Parking by river, not

shallow (4)

177. French article about a lake

that’s imaginary (6) 178. With silver, go back

eagerly (4)

180. One swindle involving

devotional painting (4) 181. Bighead about to eat one

type of cheese (4) 183. Expectation and desire of the man accepting work (4)

184. Unfortunately, no girl cares for this Christmas vocalist (5,6)

185. Fish cleaner (4)

186. A politician beside lake

with light (4)

189. Animal making bighead

point (5)

191. Drive forward, finding mischievous child with Spanish article (5) 193. Praise peer audibly (4) 194. Snake in French tree (5) 199. US soldier, female,

returning with fruit (3) 203. Land’s condition (5) 205. First of towns small and

quaint (4)

206. Pale colour of apple

crumble? (4)

208. Extreme fear not starting

with mistake (5)

209. Steal from fashionable

bird (5)

210. Curved structure seen in

popular chapel (4) 212. Has nothing with

directions (4)

214. Fight for fragment (5) 215. Score and go off with

miser (7)

216. Sprites in pastel vests (5) 217. Cowshed beside river Eastern (4)

218. A groan possibly from a

goat (6)

219. Hard woman returning

reddish hair dye (5) 220. Entertain a brood (5) 221. Fibs about commercial

showing those dancing (6) 222. See, e.g., wild birds (5) 223. With my tint, I confused a

Dickens character (4,3) 224. Extend area for shooting

practice (5)

225. Damaged tyre we found

by English conifer (3,4) 226. Vegetables Ross put out

(7)

DOWN

2. Something decorated for Christmas seen in street (4)

3. Join one in new tune (5) 4. Nuts man sold by mistake (7)

5. Feel very cold and become motionless (6) 6. Judge fool on Eastern ship (6)

7. Nut country (6)

8. First of judges hopes, perhaps, to become Mary’s husband (6) 9. A politician taken in by the woman with food basket (6)

10. Eccentric cagey about Northern bureau (6) 11. Agree with said rise (6) 12. Sledge breaking his leg (6)

13. Confectionery courses (6) 14 and 73. Using advertising song by bachelor, sell new Christmas song (6,5) 15. Engineers on country express again (7) 16. Replacing oil, go to find Eskimo dwelling (5) 17. Trendy Northern and Southern hotels (4) 18. Royal shares out bacon slices (7)

22. Magi giving me swine by mistake (4,3)

23 and 78. Pantomime hero

got some out (6,5)

27. Country providing part of Christmas dinner (6)

39. Lower the price of scarlet cue, possibly (6)

40 and 80 Across. Carol goes walking with second novel (4,4,9)

42. Not at home with a method (4)

44. Drink for male bird and dog (8)

45. A tuner - odd character (6) 48. Hot, some new residences (5)

49. Critical assessment to look at again (6)

50. Con tot out of thread (6) 51. Christmas decoration seen in market in Selby (6) 52. Eccentric sang about the Spanish divine messengers (6) 54. Incredible ace on sea (5) 56. Work produced on time a musical drama (5) 57. Number of wise men producing article about religious education (5) 61. 50 invested in sacred Christmas decoration (5) 62. Male with queen, extremely rowdy and jolly (5)

72. Pantomime character, man - one with two degrees (3,4)

73. See 14 Down. 74. Retain possession of part of castle (4) 75. Sounds of disapproval heard when getting drink (5) 77. Hurl pod out for reindeer (7)

78. See 23 Down. 79. Skinflint giving male rise, for a change (5)

81. My pet, terribly hungry (5) 82. Vigilant later, possibly (5) 84. Musical instrument held by superior gangster (5) 85. Confused son getting hold of five Eastern kilns (5) 86. Remain on the queen’s persistent racehorse (6) 90. Man with film about royal showing remorse (6) 92. Finish first Eastern drink (4)

94 and 95. Using new hotel, both will often meet Carol (1,6,4,2,9)

95. See 94 Down. 96. Exclamation of contempt over first of ushers’ short skirt (4)

100. Surprisingly, top men aim for this theatrical entertainment (9)

102. Time for fighting soon after

Christmas? (6,3)

105. Incredibly late, the runner

(7)

106. Real net somehow lasting

for ever (7)

107. Doubter finding 100 during month in charge (7)

109. Broad officer (7)

111. Leap from underground

chamber (5)

114. Proportion for a trio,

perhaps (5)

116. Ruddy socialist! (3) 117. Head of year in the morning with sweet potato (3)

119. Tot from short commercial,

say (3)

120. Insect from plantations (3) 121. Observed cutting tool (3) 122. Be in charge of race (3) 127. Trip not allowed in the

capital of Germany (6) 131. Contaminate cent if

clumsy (6) 132. Feel great joy about

woman being heard (7) 133. One journalist accepting

100 chilled (4)

136. Nourishment for female head of department receiving rings (4) 137. Troubled, she aims to find

saviour (7)

138. Apple? Father initially

unwrapped it (5)

139. Unusual bream brownish-yellow (5) 140. It’s oiled badly for senior

citizen (5)

141. First of sons in a crib from

a Berkshire town (5) 143. For one graduate, leave

an adult insect (5) 144. The French doctor initially

selling young sheep (5) 146. Gift from wise man for royals in my house at first (5)

148. Eccentric grips small

shoot (5)

152. Six in commercial being

greedy (4)

155. Christmas pastry for MP

with niece I fancy (5,3) 157. Father taking the rap, perhaps, for cracker headgear (5,3)

160. Make different church

table, say (5)

161. Bill appearing with the French piece of furniture (5)

162. Type a learner finds

ceremonious (6)

163. Oceans being shown for

part of the year (6) 164. Lads in broadcast from

Ibiza, e.g. (6)

165. Enemy wandering round South with servile associates (3-3)

166. Man receiving nothing for

Christmas song (5) 167. Quiet girl with many a

sacred song (5)

168. Quiet bit heard (5) 169. Lamps, not heavy, on

stage initially (6)

170. Drink for trip is off (6) 171. Small quantity formerly

containing uranium (5) 179. A holy person on island

with wine (4)

181. Inflatable decoration for

dance with circle on (7) 182. With a gun I disturbed a

lizard (6)

187. Continually breaking law,

say (6)

188. Tense using gift (7) 190. Wise man going around

America with banger (7) 192. Disease making Sal seem

confused (7)

195. Package for redhead in

wrong place (6)

196. Relative getting EP when

out (6)

197. British man’s drink (6) 198. Artificial aster confused

Zulu leader (6)

199. Managing to give female a

jewellery item (6)

200. Gang leader taking

rubbish to cave (6) 201. Head of department with a lot of paper revealing fantasies (6)

202. Ridiculous and drab US

broadcast (6)

203. Shows contempt for prophets going round North (6)

204. Opening after commercial for pre-Christmas season (6)

207. Group of singers, incredibly rich, receiving nothing (5)

211. Conservative - one with

the German drink (5) 213 and 21 Across. Pantomime character getting wet in show accidentally (4,5) 217. Dandy’s weapon for

shooting arrows, say (4)