Guardian 23952/Rufus – it’s Christmas already

Virtually every clue is holiday related (xmas, parties, trees, pantos, carols…). I probably missed an allusion or two being of the other faith. I think this is the first of the Xmas-related themes that I’m sure we’ll be solving until 2007.

Across

9	APERIT(IF)S – (parties)* containing IF (for “provided”). APERITIFS are drinks to stimulate your appetite – so they qualify as appetizers (I suspect this is the literal French meaning anyway).
11	TUCK BOX – Friar TUCK but not sure how BOX is “Christmas tip”?
12	A+LAD+DIN – standard UK pantomime fare
13	CH+OIR – abbrev(“Church”) followed by rev(Rio) – a v. popular cryptic port.
14	SHEPHERDS – A kind of mincemeat pie and of course “men” with a role to play… at Christmas.
16	A CHRISTMAS CAROL – This hardly qualifies as a cryptic definition – though perhaps it does given that it’s the title of a book rather than a song.
19	STOCKINGS – cryptic definition
21	SALLY – double definition – but perhaps triple? What’s “party” doing there?
23	TORN+A+DO – jokey definition of “wind-up” thus the question-mark.
24	CAROL – “it” is the song being performed that’s also a girl’s name. Not sure how “waits” is used in the wordplay.
25	EVERGREEN – double definition. There’s a meaning of EVERGREEN that implies always fresh and well-liked thus popular.

Down

1	SANTA CLAUS – he’s the guy that does the hard delivery work.
2	TEA CLOTH – Clergy as a whole are referred to as the CLOTH.
4	MINX =”minks” – but in this post-Brigitte Bardot age do women still really want furs?
5	ESTATE CARS – station wagons in the UK. Bit of a jokey pun. Perhaps this clue isn’t Xmas-related after all.
6	SERAPH+I.C. – (phrase)*+initials of “Introducing Christmas”.
8	STUN – rev(nuts=crackers). Xmas allusion via crackers.
14	SET IN ORDER – Not a bad clue – I hazarded “put it right” at first. “Monks” have ORDERs (if they don’t set crosswords) and your “party” is your SET.
15	SILLY POINT – cricket fielding position. Not Xmas related?
17	INKWELLS – cryptic definition. Not Xmas related?
18	RELOADED – cryptic definition: ref. loading a gun with a charge. Not Xmas related?
20	ON+WARD – not Xmas related?
21	SPRIGS – you do your kissing under SPRIGS of mistletoe and it also means to fasten.

6 comments on “Guardian 23952/Rufus – it’s Christmas already”

#1 - Mon 18th Dec 06, 17:53

re 11a, a Christmas box is a tip given at the end of the year for services during the year. Quite a few years ago, I remember dustmen, milkmen, newspaper delivery boys etc knocking on my door near Christmas time and asking hopefully if I had anything “for the Christmas box”. It is a phrase I haven’t heard in a long time though.

#2 - Mon 18th Dec 06, 18:33

11a : A Christmas box is a gratuity, originally paid on BOXing Day for services – postmen, dustmen etc.

24a: Waits are groups of singers, musicians performing on streets at Chritsmastime

#3 - Mon 18th Dec 06, 20:11

Collins asserts BOX to be a short form of ‘Christmas box’, while Chambers Online Reference is more generous, assigning it the meaning of ‘a gift of money to tradespersons etc’ outright.

Dull puzzle, I thought.