December 2017 Crossword – Compiled by Jeannie Hollands

Across

1 ‘___ the sounding joy’ (carol) (6)

4 Delivered from sin (8)

10 Retaliation (3-3-3)

11 Underworld (5)

12 & 13 ‘Worship ___ ___-___ ___’ (3,3-4,4)

15 Reprocess (7)

17 Contribute (6)

19 ___ Lee, singer of ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ (6)

21 Exempt from duty (3-4)

23 Pig’s noise (4)

24 Full quantity (10)

27 Exactly the right moment (2,3)

28 Italian restaurant (9)

29 ‘Where ___ ___ on hay’ (4,4)

30 ‘Christ, by highest heaven ___’ (carol) (6)

Down

1 Going round (8)

2 British ___, multimedia resource (5)

3 Juvenile (10)

5 ‘Then ___ in those wise men three’ (carol) (7)

6 Resound (4)

7 In the bleak ___’ (carol) (9)

8 Amount of a drug (6)

9 ’And His shelter was a ___’ (carol) (6)

14 Unforeseen (10)

16 Singular one of two OT books (9)

18 ‘___ leading, still proceeding’ (carol) (8)

20 Disciple (7)

21 Formal head-covering (3,3)

22 ‘And _-_ _-_ _-_, by priest and people sungen’ (carol) (1-1,1-1,1-1)

25 Mistake (5)

26 Muscle (4)

December 2017 Cryptic Crossword – Compiled by Peter Chamberlain

Across

1 Lamb’s tender (8)

5 Gleaming river entering bay (6)

9 Braille’s translated by politicians (8)

10 One lady or another including Women’s Institute (6)

11 Dispirit? (8)

14 Felix’s successor’s manifest usefulness had been contained (6)

15 Hamper I arranged for Joseph’s son (7)

16 Allow disreputable person to act without restraint (3,3)

19 Entrance more than once in this car (3-4)

20 Old woman, Georgia and I made up the book (6)

21 Play school syllabus is a disgrace (7)

26 Place found available before Thursday for base of statue (6)

27 Imposing governments get revenue from it (8)

28 Attitude of one out at the elbows (6)

29 Rice bags removed from bony enclosures (8)

30 Replacing Dundee strip (6)

31 Issue to be raised (8)

Down

1 Basil, Veronica etc. taking part getting medal (6)

2 As a group found some hidden blockage (2,4)

3 Poet’s house above watercourse (6)

4 Flavour to savour (6)

6 Deliverer is one buying back (8)

7 Heartless guy held rubbish that was sparkling (8)

8 Cross-section of a church? (8)

12 One in toilet in ship going round in East Anglia (7)

13 Galloped into hospital department being caustic (7)

14 Almost take up all the space with circular message from filing system (7)

17 Leading stevedore with it three feet from building site (8)

18 5 across spark starts the car (8)

19 Test a new shoot on one’s tongue (5,3)

22 Container holds article from Copenhagen perhaps (6)

23 I call a doctor who is not clerical (6)

24 Campanologist erring badly (6)

25 Start of sensuousness in marriage harmony (6)

Solution to November 2017 Crossword

Across: 1 Delilah; 5 Burrito; 9 So loved the world; 10 Fathom; 11 Dylan; 14 Loathe; 15 Straight; 18 Hedonism; 19 Rococo; 21 Liver; 23 Reuben; 26 Only begotten Son; 27 Stencil; 28 Retouch

Down: 1 Dusk; 2 Lulu; 3 Leviathan; 4 Hi-De-hi; 5 Behemoth; 6 Rowed; 7 Irreligion; 8 Ordination; 12 All Hallows; 13 Vaudeville; 16 Atonement; 17 Astragal; 20 Rutter; 22 Rabic; 24 Esau; 25 Inch

Winners: October 2017 Crossword: C MacKay Lewis, D Rennie Edinburgh, J Richardson Glasgow

Solution to November 2017 Cryptic Crossword

Across: 1 Patron saint; 9 R and R; 10 Billboard; 12 Divinity; 13 Pilgrim; 15 Ophir; 16 Communion; 17 Then; 18 Ankh; 19 Wednesday; 20 Fuego; 21 Tendril; 24 Christen; 26 Dalliance; 27 Tutsi; 28 Painstaking

Down: 2 Alibi; 3 Religion; 4 Naomi; 5 Aird; 6 Try it on; 7 Antiphony; 8 Prayer wheel; 11 Dissident; 13 Pontificate; 14 Maundered; 16 Celebrate; 18 Aardvark; 19 Worship; 22 Eilat; 23 Incan; 25 Naan

Winners: October 2017 Cryptic Crossword: M Murray Edinburgh, J Holm Gullane