Saturday, January 3, 2009

Christmas Cryptic Crossword 2008

Here's one I set for Christmas this year. If you don't know me (or Arti) well, it might be a little tricky, but hopefully solvable nonetheless. David Thompson completed it in about half an hour. He struggled a little with 8d (understandably), and needed encouragement to get 25d and 37d. Arti finished over half of it. Dad got one, which is possibly a slight improvement over last year's efforts.


Across
1 An inexact 72. Half clever! (10,7)
10 Tailless cat back after twisting sleeps snugly? (5,2)
14 Rich now unsettled to the east of East Anglia. (7)
15 Acidity state within a carnivore. (7)
16 24 24 should never be? (3,3,3)
17 Sound comes from this very old fridge. (8)
19 Chants, including bird sound, recently took place in Mumbai. (9)
20 See 47
23 Setter, despite beheading, is enthusiastic. (4)
24 Company presents the entire range of points to keep one up to date? (3,4)
26 Wounds resulting from distressed lioness. (7)
27 It's in Gujerati time. (3)
29 Let off no strike. (5)
31 What a bad judge might concede if he isn't? (9)
32 Record French wine heartily styled. (5)
33 Speech problem during an oral is pitiful. (4)
36 A French organisation. (2)
38 Found on both sides of stripclub doors? (8)
41 Measure John's bridge, say. (4)
43 Short time after high speed is excessive masculinity. (8)
44 Buried in a granite tomb ("The 68") here. (4)
45 One time after Cambridge? (4)
46 An auctioneer sells it all. (3,3)
47, 20 Female applies a brown backing. Also after time, results in hand print. (5, 6)
49 Bore my distressed youngest child, in theory? (6)
50 Better if found within musical sequence. (4)
52 Skinhead guy upended gets final letter. (4)
53 Those lacking influence describing empty morgue, perhaps? (8)
54 Bug off! Leak is internal. (4)
56 49 will be one of these main recipients of 85. (8)
59 Be sung? (2)
61 Likelihood not 55s. (4)
62 Bombed India's interior to settle in. (3,2)
63 Needs time in pub to find stone particular to 66ac. (5,4)
66 Before partition, Pakistan was a part in vain dialogue. (5)
68 Built for his third wife, Jahan's first two have time to be contrary. (3)
70 Sensing bad standards. (7)
71 56 aren't mature. (5,2)
72 A female god turned musically like 59ac. (4)
76 66ac put right for Gandhi. (6)
77 His belongs around SE Asian region north of 66ac. (9)
78 Earmarked when conferred to the deaf. (8)
81 I am faultless, kind of tense. (9)
82 Pulled horse in muddled dread. (7)
83 Switch alcohol with the Spanish and the French cook. (7)
84 Liqueur a Siamese consumed within this region. (7)
85 Right now introduces a convenient pact to avoid them? (9,8)

Down
1 Concealed in no viable place 72 works for. (7)
2 Claire, Charlotte and Helen may subscribe to this theory? (9)
3 Not achieved grade was distressful. (6)
4 Pole lost gold for highest degree. (3)
5 Msitake. (4)
6 Impairs how spectacle displayed here at Duxford. (3,5)
7 Overextend once inside tissue. (6)
8 Once broken in David? (8)
9 Say no more. (6,4)
10 Have some coffee and a slice of cake here? (4)
11 Prepare mix here, behind. (8)
12 Sweet girl is in 1d. (7)
13 You and I are private replacements. (8,8)
18 One is made of Cheese? Stinking brie rot! (7)
21 Draught bottled beer isn't. (2,3)
22 Tom-Tom! (7)
25 .yalpdrowS (4)
28 "Take one". Doh! Sounds like body combat! (9)
30 Bistro tiffin-box contains Indian bread. (4)
34 One of these is direct-line cousin? Sure! Remain inside. (7)
35 Risking winter sport with unfavourable 61, perhaps? (7,2,4,3)
36 In about a holy state. (4)
37 An unusual clue I have for you, beware this sample is no example! (9)
39 Too tender. Too eager to get 46? (7)
40 72 surrounded by 52s, has no time for clothes. (5)
41 Enclosed in fat. Nasty about bad 56, perhaps? (5)
42 27 of them had French. (2)
43 Clone 1001 and add 100 for 22. (5)
48 72 gets initial notice to replace loss of right opposed. (4)
50 Accent Property (letting agency) to renew tenancy agreement for free. (7)
51 Cut off loud music. (2)
55 Every other one envies no equal. (4)
57 Spasms resulting from dodgy Cambridge University fries. (7)
58 From a language perspective, 99 follows 72. (10)
59 Before hair goes south, drink! (4)
60 Grounds, say, for a refund if these are found in 63 or 67. (5)
64 A disastrous red nail! No initial stress produces this. (9)
65 Carry rifles and ram sabre in a frenzy. (4,4)
66 One of Ireland's inebriated natives? (8)
67 An authentic 37 (1,4,3)
69 Initially jockey ordered David his polo uniforms; riding trousers are made here. (7)
73 76 is but one from 66ac. (7)
74 Kings from 69, perhaps? (6)
75 Burns chant is Spanish. (6)
79 In the alphabet and in the greek alphabet. (4)
80 Regular, wordless, lyrical poems. (4)
83 Right after number it follows neither. (3)

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