The monthly puzzle inspired by recent events. Find it to solve online or download and print at ft.com/crossword, or use the FT smartphone app.
The last news puzzle of the year is brought to us by the ever reliable Julius, and is well up to his usual standards for fun and wit. A very enjoyable and accessible puzzle – only 23 across caused me any trouble with the parsing, but I eventually twigged the brilliantly groanworthy gag. Thanks, Julius!
As last year, the December puzzle has appeared a week early, which means we can probably expect a bumper round-up of the whole year’s news in cruciverbal form next week.
Definitions are highlighted in bold in the clues. Please feel free to fill in any topical references I’ve missed in the comments below.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | TARIFF |
Row about a Republican trade tool (6)
|
| TIFF (row) “about” A + R (Republican)
Trump is threatening to apply tariffs to all imports to the US. |
||
| 4 | PARDON ME |
Eh? Did Hunter really say this to his dad? (6,2)
|
| Cryptic definition
Joe Biden issued a presidential pardon for his son Hunter, who was facing sentencing for two criminal charges. |
||
| 10 | RETRIBUTE |
Note testimony to give in return (9)
|
| RE (note) + TRIBUTE (testimony) | ||
| 11 | SONIC |
Lad in charge, spiky character when animated (5)
|
| SON (lad) + IC (in charge)
There’s a new Sonic the Hedgehog film just out. The fourth in the series, apparently. Somehow I missed the first three. I was subjected to the trailer in the cinema the other day… my sympathies go out to any parents who will be forced to endure the full thing with their kids. |
||
| 12 | OBOE |
Honour to screen debut of Oliver Reed (4)
|
| OBE (honour) containing (to screen) the first letter (debut) of Oliver | ||
| 13 | STATE-OWNED |
Told to keep lean, like the BBC for example (5-5)
|
| Sounds like (told) “STAY TONED” (keep lean)
The Labour government have committed to keeping it this way too. |
||
| 15 | SPA TOWN |
Expressed contempt about western health resort (3,4)
|
| SPAT ON (expressed contempt) “about” W (western) | ||
| 16/21 | MICHEL BARNIER |
Failed PM married Cherie Blair after changing given name (6,7)
|
| M (married) + anagram (after changing) of CHERIE BLAIR “given” N (name)
The French prime minister resigned after the government collapsed. |
||
| 19 | SEESAW |
Repeated back and forth — diocese was repelled (6)
|
| SEE (diocese) + WAS reversed (repelled) | ||
| 21 |
See 16
|
|
| 23 | MARTIAL LAW |
Shock measure announced by President in sole career broadcast (7,3)
|
| Cryptic definition/excruciating pun – SOLE CAREER sounds like (broadcast) Seoul, Korea
Yoon Suk Yeol, President of South Korea, declared martial law briefly earlier this month, leading to his impeachment. He made the unexpected announcement in a live TV broadcast. |
||
| 25 | HELD |
Detained Haigh finally led out (4)
|
| Last letter (finally) of haigH + anagram (out) of LED
The UK’s Transport Secretary Louise Haigh was sacked after it emerged that she received a criminal conviction for insurance fraud some years ago. |
||
| 27 | RERUN |
Leaders in Romania explain Russian upset necessitates new election (5)
|
| First letters (leaders) of Romania Explain Russian Upset Necessitates
The results of the recent presidential elections in Romania were overturned due to suspicions of TikTok unfairly influencing voting in favour of a pro-Putin candidate. |
||
| 28 |
See 20 Down
|
|
| 29 | OBSERVER |
One who commentates on ordinary British tennis player (8)
|
| O (ordinary) + B (British) + SERVER (tennis player)
The Observer, the UK’s most venerable Sunday newspaper, was bought by Tortoise Media from Guardian Media Group this month, despite Guardian staff striking over the matter. |
||
| 30 | KANSAS |
For starters, Kemi ate no sandwiches… awfully soggy state (6)
|
| First letters of (for starters) Kemi Ate No Sandwiches Awfully Soggy State
Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, said in an interview that sandwiches are not real food and she prefers a steak for lunch. Showing the common touch there. |
||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | TORTOISE |
Buyer of the 29 suggestive of a shell company? (8)
|
| Cryptic definition
Tortoise Media is a primarily podcast-based organisation that is aiming to break into more traditional news platforms with its acquisition of the Observer. |
||
| 2 | RATIONALE |
That which explains the painful decision from Guinness? (9)
|
| Cryptic definition
Fear of Christmas shortages meant Guinness was forced to ration its distribution to pubs ahead of the festive period, much to the dismay of people who like rubbish beer. |
||
| 3 | FAIR |
Just a typical Christmas tree put outside? (4)
|
| A with FIR (typical Christmas tree) “put outside” it | ||
| 5 | AMENTUM |
Catkin American mother put around hospital dept (7)
|
| A (American) + MUM (mother) “put around” ENT (hospital dept – Ear, Nose & Throat) | ||
| 6 | DISCONCERT |
Candlestick covered in muck to cause disturbance (10)
|
| SCONCE (candlestick) covered in DIRT (muck) | ||
| 7 | NINON |
Material Biden finally privy to? (5)
|
| Last letter (finally) of bideN + IN ON (privy to) | ||
| 8 | ESCUDO |
Coin old Mussolini tossed son caught (6)
|
| O (old) + DUCE (Mussolini) reversed (tossed) with S (son) inserted (caught) | ||
| 9 | JUSTIN |
Breaking news: he’s leaving the palace (6)
|
| JUST IN (breaking news)
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby announced his resignation over his handling of historic child abuse cases. The palace referred to is Lambeth Palace, official residence of the Archbishop. |
||
| 14 | DOGS DINNER |
Rod sending angry comment on poor effort from Masterchef (4,6)
|
| Anagram (angry) of ROD SENDING
Chef Dan Merriman was crowned champion of Masterchef the Professionals this month. No dog’s dinners in his restaurant, I’ll bet. [Edit: “Rod” in the clue is a reference to Sir Rod Stewart – see comments.] |
||
| 17 | EPIDERMIS |
Boss — I’m red, I perspire all over, covering my skin (9)
|
| Hidden (covering) and reversed (over) in bosS IM RED I PErspire | ||
| 18 | CRUDITES |
In court, Giuliani eats cored raw veg (8)
|
| CT (court) into which RUDI (Giuliani) is inserted + E[at]S with the middle letters removed (cored) | ||
| 20/28 | WALLACE AND GROMIT |
BBC Xmas highlight — controversial presenter Gary taking year off in MOTD drama (7,3,6)
|
| WALLACE (controversial presenter) + anagram (drama) of GAR[y] (less Y – year) IN MOTD
There’s a lot going on in this excellent clue… I for one am very much looking forward to the Wallace and Gromit Christmas special, which will see the return of Feathers McGraw, the villainous penguin from The Wrong Trousers. Restaurant critic Grace Dent was recently announced as the replacement for the “controversial” Gregg Wallace as judge on Celebrity Masterchef, and Gary Lineker recently announced his retirement as presenter of Match of the Day. |
||
| 21 | BRANDY |
Support Democrat in Empire State? That’s the spirit! (6)
|
| BRA (support) + D (Democrat) in NY (New York – the Empire State)
I bought some brandy only yesterday, ready to flambé the Christmas pud next week. |
||
| 22 | EMBRYO |
Might one be created by more messing around? (6)
|
| Anagram (messing around) of BY MORE, and an extended definition | ||
| 24 | RO-ROS |
Efficient trucks run over River Ouse regularly (2-3)
|
| R (run) + O (over) + R (river) + alternate letters (regularly) of OuSe
Ro-ro stands for roll on, roll off, which is what the trucks do efficiently at Channel ferry ports – when they’re not stuck in post-Brexit customs queues, that is. |
||
| 26 | AREA |
District heads of al-Assad regime evacuate asap (4)
|
| First letters (heads) of Al-Assad Regime Evacuate Asap
Syria’s President Assad fled to Russia to escape the recent uprising. |
Thanks for your blog, dear Widdersbel. The use of *ROD SENDING as the fodder for the anagram in the clue for DOG’S DINNER was intended to refer to the tweet Sir Rod Stewart wrote about his wife’s unpleasant experience on MASTERCHEF in which he described Gregg Wallace as a “tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully”.
Happy Christmas to you and all FT solvers.
Rob/Julius
Of course – can’t believe I didn’t cotton on when “Rod” is mentioned explicitly in the clue. Doh! That was a great put-down by Sir Rod. And well deserved.
Thanks for all your wonderful puzzles this year, Rob – both in the FT and elsewhere. And Merry Christmas to you too!
[Especially liked 23a, my LOi 🙂]
I love the many allusions in WALLACE AND GROMIT. I missed the Seoul Korea aural wordplay. A fine puzzle and great blog.
Just adding to your explanation of KANSAS, Widders, Kemi expressly dissed ‘moist’ sandwiches which might account for the soggy state reference.
I saw the Rod Stewart reference and was amused.
Does the reference to the Ouse have anything to do with the flooding during Storm Darragh earlier this month? There were pictures around.
Thank you to Julius and Widdersbel, and for all the puzzles this year.
Excellent puzzle and blog.
My top fave: MARTIAL LAW (No. I didn’t get it from the wordplay but reverse-parsed it as some might say).
Other faves: PARDON ME and STATE-OWNED.
Thanks Julius and Widdersbel.
I really look forward to these News puzzles and here’s another super one from Julius.
I’m stunned at the brilliant spot of MICHEL BARNIER /CHERIE BLAIR, with only a two-letter difference – and an excellent surface, too. (Alas, too ephemeral for my little book of classic clues.)
I also really enjoyed the intricate construction and wit of WALLACE and GROMIT and had to admire both the linked 29/1 and 9dn – although I’m really saddened by both – and I admired the deftly hidden EPIDERMIS.
I wish I’d spotted the audacious homophone in MARTIAL LAW.
I loved DOG’S DINNER, too: I’d always thought of this definition as ‘a dog’s breakfast’, only having heard of DOG’S DINNER in the expression ‘all dressed up like dog’s dinner’ but a bit of googling threw up both.
Many thanks to Julius and to Widdersbel, for another splendid blog.
2: Is it really a cryptic def?
That which explains the painful decision from Guinness?
RATION+ALE
Many thanks to setter, blogger & commenters all.
Pqwick – I’ve highlighted the wrong bit of the clue, haven’t I? Thanks for flagging that. You’re right, the definition is “that which explains”. I called it a “cryptic definition” because the wordplay is based on an alternative/non-standard reading of the solution as a whole, broken down as “ration ale” as you say. It’s not really a charade. But I’m never too fussed about defining/categorising clues too precisely as I don’t think it’s important.
Wallace and Gromit was a great clue, Michel Barnier too. Didn’t understand 23 at all, so thanks. Pity Giuliani is Rudy, not Rudi, but still solvable.
Thanks all.