The Times Specialist - Crossword Answers | 2017 12 24

crossword answers
Clue Answer
Distress call which comes from the pronunciation of “help me” in French MAYDAY
What some winter birds are noted for red breasts
Electronic percussion instruments drum pads
Festive-sounding final song on Van Morrison’s 1970 album Moondance Glad Tidings
From Afrikaans, a tree formerly used to make cartwheels WAGENBOOM
French writer and dramatist, fictionalised in an 1897 play by Edmond Rostand CYRANO DE BERGERAC
Carol telling the story of a Bohemian ruler’s journey to give alms Good King Wenceslas
Canadian prime minister born on Christmas Day 1971 JUSTIN TRUDEAU
People who created a kingdom in northern Italy in AD493 OSTROGOTHS
Cancellation of a bad debt write-off
Bethlehem visitors, mentioned in only one gospel Wise Men of the East
WINE PRODUCTION METHOD OFTEN USED FOR PROSECCO CHARMAT
King who ordered the killing of the infant Jesus HEROD
Location of the final battle of the English Civil War WORCESTER
Author who created Lord Peter Wimsey Dorothy Sayers
Abbreviated, the address of a web page URL
____ broadcast his observations on American life, for the BBC, for 58 years ALISTAIR COOKE
African river, reportedly one of the ten accounting for 90% of the plastic entering the world’s oceans NIGER
THE EXCHANGE OF DIGITAL DATA OVER NETWORKS DATACOM
A LOVE AFFAIR, ESPECIALLY A SECRET ONE LIAISON
____ Nesbit wrote The Railway Children EDITH
Adult offshoot of the children’s TV show Tiswas OTT
“SUCCESS FOUR FLIGHTS THURSDAY MORNING […] LONGEST 59 SECONDS INFORM PRESS HOME ____” (Telegram sent by Wright brothers on December 17, 1903) CHRISTMAS
1982 snooker tournament in which Steve Davis made the first televised maximum break Lada Classic
A student of ancient Greek culture HELLENIST
Originally the main dish of a meal, now something dramatic like a flambéed Christmas pudding PIECE DE RESISTANCE
Second in a series of five Christmas books by Charles Dickens THE CHIMES
Popular seasonal song written by James Pierpont JINGLE BELLS
WINE SHOP, OR WAREHOUSE IN WHICH WINE IS STORED AND AGED BODEGA
MOST WEIRD EERIEST
DRAGON IN THE IVOR THE ENGINE TV SERIES IDRIS
Required by etiquette or custom DE RIGUEUR
Seaweeds and similar plants ALGAE
Outward movement of the tide EBB
Sesame seed condiment used in making hummus TAHINI
To convert into vinegar ACETIFY
INSTRUMENT WHICH MEASURES THE VELOCITY OF BLOOD FLOW RHEOMETER
FLORIA ____ IS A FAMOUS SINGER IN A PUCCINI OPERA TOSCA
Small present, not traditionally placed under the tree STOCKING FILLER
The home of Santa and his elves NORTH POLE
Something to take for indigestion ANTACID
Spartan naval commander whose capture of Athens ended the Peloponnesian War LYSANDER
Storage medium whose single-layer format holds 4.7 GB of data DVD
Substance formerly used to make gramophone records SHELLAC
One thing you can do with an unwanted Christmas present REGIFT
Holly or ivy, for example EVERGREEN
HAT, GLOVES, SCARF, COAT ETC winter clothing
RELATING TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD OCCIPITAL
Name by which Rangifer tarandus has popular yuletide connotations REINDEER
One thing to do when preparing the festive meal? LAY THE TABLE
Operation name for the Second World War invasion of Normandy OVERLORD
THE TWO MAIN INGREDIENTS OF TRADITIONAL TURKEY STUFFING sage and onions
Two Aramaic words as a single word in 1 Corinthians, meaning “O Lord, come” or “Our Lord has come” MARANATHA
South Bank attraction whose ceremonial opening was on New Year’s Eve 1999 LONDON EYE
MULTI-PRONGED SPEAR USED FOR FISHING LEISTER
OLD-FASHIONED GOLF CLUB WITH A SLIGHTLY HOLLOWED FACE SPOON
TO LINK A BOOK OR SONG WITH A PERSON, AS A SIGN OF AFFECTION OR RESPECT DEDICATE
CEREAL HYBRID OF WHEAT AND RYE TRITICALE
MATHEMATICAL SET COMPRISING ALL THE ELEMENTS OF TWO OR MORE OTHERS UNION
London district which hosted the 2012 Summer Olympics STRATFORD