Monday December 23
Cryptic:
ACROSS
5 Plainsong, 8 Flight, 9 Daunts, 10 Ewe, 11 Censor, 13 Spears, 15 Crises, 18 Lesson, 20 Eau, 21 Lizard, 22 Pen pal, 23 Obstinate.
DOWN
1 Aligns, 2 Sister, 3 Asides, 4 In tune, 6 Algebraic, 7 Stornoway, 12 OBE, 14 Poe, 16 Shabby, 17 Sedate, 18 Lupine, 19 Sonata.
Quick:
ACROSS
5 Subeditor, 8 Facing, 9 Kindly, 10 Ale, 11 Veneer, 13 Tablet, 15 Pair up, 18 Spread, 20 Opt, 21 Chosen, 22 Rubble, 23 Nightlife.
DOWN
1 Pumice, 2 Beggar, 3 Wicket, 4 Hobnob, 6 Camera shy, 7 Illegally, 12 Emu, 14 App, 16 Rustic, 17 Poncho, 18 Stroll, 19 Rebuff.
Tuesday December 24
Cryptic:
ACROSS
1 Erased, 4 Hearth, 8 Con, 9 Sagacious, 11 Stun, 12 Protrude, 15 Edinburgh, 18 Remotely, 19 Cane, 21 Cowardice, 23 Tag, 24 Scrape, 25 Lawyer.
DOWN
1 Excuse, 2 Ad nauseam, 3 Easy, 5 Et cetera, 6 Rio, 7 Hasten, 10 Garibaldi, 13 Unhealthy, 14 Gift wrap, 16 Precis, 17 Ledger, 20 Feta, 22 War.
Quick:
ACROSS
1 Dampen, 4 Utmost, 8 Bid, 9 Virulence, 11 Oily, 12 Unusable, 15 Anomalous, 18 Preacher, 19 Hake, 21 Overruled, 23 Ode, 24 Big toe, 25 Tyrant.
DOWN
1 Debtor, 2 Middle age, 3 Envy, 5 Talk show, 6 Own, 7 Teeter, 10 Ring a bell, 13 Bossa nova, 14 Concerto, 16 Aplomb, 17 Decent, 20 Edgy, 22 Egg.
Wednesday December 25
Cryptic:
ACROSS
1 Scoff, 4 Stung, 10 Ideal, 11 Apparel, 12 Toronto, 13 Crypt, 14 Unmet, 16 Class, 21 Sepia, 23 Lateral, 25 Atrophy, 26 Token, 27 Raven, 28 Weary.
DOWN
2 Chevron, 3 Felon, 5 Typical, 6 Nerdy, 7 Fifty, 8 Carol, 9 Flute, 15 Example, 17 Striker, 18 Isaac, 19 Plays, 20 Clone, 22 Parka, 24 Title.
Quick:
ACROSS
1 Serve, 4 Aster, 10 Irons, 11 Sea wall, 12 Climate, 13 Outer, 14 Lever, 16 Adore, 21 Slang, 23 Liaison, 25 Edition, 26 Grief, 27 Eight, 28 Fried.
DOWN
2 Emotive, 3 Vista, 5 Seafood, 6 Enact, 7 Niece, 8 Usher, 9 Flora, 15 English, 17 Respite, 18 Isles, 19 Flank, 20 Knife, 22 Alibi, 24 Anger.
Thursday December 26
Cryptic:
ACROSS
6 Proud, 7 Attain, 9 Retsina, 10 Liege, 11 Nous, 13 Scrawl, 15 Cites, 16 Robert, 17 Thai, 20 Athos, 22 Bootleg, 23 Paella, 24 Shear.
DOWN
1 Tom Thumb, 2 Ad-lib, 3 Japan, 4 Italics, 5 Life, 6 Paranormal, 8 Bell-ringer, 12 Fit, 13 Sec, 14 Achilles, 15 Crossly, 18 U-boat, 19 Boast, 21 Heal.
Quick:
ACROSS
6 Slush, 7 Fields, 9 Exclude, 10 Tiara, 11 Pelt, 13 Artful, 15 Climb, 16 Streak, 17 Deer, 20 Dusky, 22 Grandpa, 23 Godson, 24 Passe.
DOWN
1 Muscular, 2 Shrug, 3 Offer, 4 Perturb, 5 Idea, 6 Sweep aside, 8 Tailor-made, 12 Ilk, 13 Amp, 14 Fiendish, 15 Calypso, 18 Agent, 19 Happy, 21 Show.
Friday December 27
Cryptic:
ACROSS
1 Stared, 5 Role, 9 Scrub, 10 Adviser, 11 Alfalfa, 12 Loose, 13 Lycra, 15 Gyles, 20 Asset, 22 Austria, 24 Delilah, 25 Ozone, 26 Hoes, 27 Tidier.
DOWN
2 Thrifty, 3 Rebel, 4 Dramas, 5 Rivalry, 6 Lasso, 7 Aswan, 8 Greek, 14 Rattles, 16 Ear lobe, 17 Raids, 18 Cachet, 19 Dates, 21 Salvo, 23 Stood.
Quick:
ACROSS
1 Ethics, 5 Each, 9 Stump, 10 Haulier, 11 Debater, 12 Index, 13 Oddly, 15 Needy, 20 Miser, 22 Refusal, 24 Nursery, 25 Erase, 26 Obey, 27 Retire.
DOWN
2 Thumbed, 3 Input, 4 Sphere, 5 Elusive, 6 Child, 7 Aside, 8 Proxy, 14 Larceny, 16 Despair, 17 Amend, 18 Prayer, 19 Ulcer, 21 Shrub, 23 Fleet.
Saturday December 28
Cryptic:
ACROSS
1 Helipad, 5 Tenby, 8 Ripen, 9 Charade, 10 Induced, 11 Trend, 12 Martyr, 14 Nestle, 18 Cocoa, 20 Counsel, 22 Bouncer, 23 Amass, 24 Extra, 25 Bye-byes.
DOWN
1 Heroism, 2 Loped, 3 Panicky, 4 Decade, 5 Tract, 6 Neatest, 7 Yield, 13 Recount, 15 Educate, 16 Enlists, 17 Scarab, 18 Cable, 19 Accra, 21 Scary.
Quick:
ACROSS
1 Debacle, 5 Heard, 8 Pesto, 9 Bastion, 10 Oil well, 11 Erode, 12 Ardent, 14 Sawyer, 18 Recur, 20 Wakeful, 22 Unbowed, 23 Noise, 24 Dally, 25 Speckle.
DOWN
1 Diploma, 2 Basil, 3 Close in, 4 Embalm, 5 Haste, 6 Alimony, 7 Dance, 13 Decibel, 15 Askance, 16 Relieve, 17 Swedes, 18 Round, 19 Rowdy, 21 Flick.
Monday December 16
Cryptic:
ACROSS
5 Set on edge, 8 Easier, 9 Alight, 10 Obi, 11 Warsaw, 13 Latvia, 15 Arenas, 18 Rotate, 20 Ole, 21 Oporto, 22 German, 23 High-flown.
DOWN
1 Relics, 2 Sorrow, 3 Bewail, 4 Ageist, 6 Paragraph, 7 Christmas, 12 Aga, 14 Ago, 16 Narnia, 17 Soothe, 18 Regale, 19 Thrown.
Quick:
ACROSS
5 Unnoticed, 8 Alkali, 9 Unfair, 10 Let, 11 Enzyme, 13 Enrage, 15 Psalms, 18 Stairs, 20 Hoe, 21 Looter, 22 Cajole, 23 Harmonica.
DOWN
1 Sneaky, 2 Docile, 3 Dilute, 4 Heifer, 6 Blind spot, 7 Ginger ale, 12 Mum, 14 Not, 16 Lethal, 17 Shrimp, 18 Second, 19 Abject.
Tuesday December 17
Cryptic:
ACROSS
1 Epochs, 4 Larger, 8 Dud, 9 Detractor, 11 Arab, 12 Puncheon, 15 Gros point, 18 Entreaty, 19 Epee, 21 Carthorse, 23 Abs, 24 Outcry, 25 Thames.
DOWN
1 Endear, 2 On draught, 3 Hide, 5 Anarchic, 6 Get, 7 Raring, 10 Trumpeter, 13 Ectoplasm, 14 Together, 16 Velcro, 17 Census, 20 Mesh, 22 Rat.
Quick:
ACROSS
1 Egoist, 4 Ocean’s, 8 Tin, 9 Alabaster, 11 Curt, 12 Hardback, 15 Hexagonal, 18 Nepotism, 19 Shoe, 21 Temporary, 23 Mad, 24 Huddle, 25 Odds-on.
DOWN
1 Entice, 2 Ownership, 3 Swat, 5 Cladding, 6 Apt, 7 Stroke, 10 Analgesia, 13 All thumbs, 14 Exit poll, 16 Snitch, 17 Leaden, 20 Dyed, 22 Mud.
Wednesday December 18
Cryptic:
ACROSS
1 Pitta, 4 Rerun, 10 Onion, 11 Fretful, 12 Gallops, 13 Optic, 14 RSPCA, 16 Stage, 21 Corfu, 23 Origami, 25 Rackets, 26 Undue, 27 Spate, 28 Reads.
DOWN
2 Icicles, 3 Tango, 5 Even out, 6 Unfit, 7 Bough, 8 Of use, 9 Alice, 15 Crudest, 17 Grandad, 18 Ochre, 19 Horse, 20 Rites, 22 Recap, 24 Inure.
Quick:
ACROSS
1 Tweak, 4 Askew, 10 Alias, 11 Quarrel, 12 Organza, 13 Issue, 14 Deuce, 16 Snide, 21 Bacon, 23 Octopus, 25 Violate, 26 Easel, 27 Brush, 28 Berth.
DOWN
2 Wriggle, 3 Arson, 5 Station, 6 Earls, 7 Major, 8 Squad, 9 Alder, 15 Canvass, 17 Deposit, 18 Above, 19 Cower, 20 Psalm, 22 Choir, 24 These.
Thursday December 19
Cryptic:
ACROSS
6 A-list, 7 Exeunt, 9 Middle c, 10 Hatch, 11 Near, 13 In trim, 15 Slick, 16 Saluki, 17 Gyms, 20 Elect, 22 Placebo, 23 Gothic, 24 Koran.
DOWN
1 Windfall, 2 Still, 3 Perch, 4 Rethink, 5 Unit, 6 Administer, 8 Thumbs down, 12 Eli, 13 Icy, 14 Ray Mears, 15 Sketchy, 18 Space, 19 Lanky, 21 Eton.
Quick:
ACROSS
6 Balsa, 7 Bangle, 9 Tableau, 10 Epoch, 11 Even, 13 Pastor, 15 Tulip, 16 Disarm, 17 Door, 20 Sit-in, 22 Pillion, 23 Africa, 24 Blare.
DOWN
1 Glibness, 2 Label, 3 About, 4 Kneecap, 5 Alto, 6 Butter-dish, 8 Short-range, 12 Rum, 13 Pig, 14 Tropical, 15 Transit, 18 Sprat, 19 Globe, 21 Tuft.
Friday December 20
Cryptic:
ACROSS
1 Broker, 5 Trio, 9 Auden, 10 Swansea, 11 Karaoke, 12 On top, 13 Hythe, 15 Nymph, 20 Rivet, 22 Endorse, 24 Moorhen, 25 Icily, 26 Oars, 27 Lagoon.
DOWN
2 Red Army, 3 Kendo, 4 Rushes, 5 Tea cosy, 6 Inset, 7 Tasks, 8 Lamps, 14 Hitches, 16 Portico, 17 Frame, 18 Kernel, 19 Kenya, 21 Viola, 23 Doing.
Quick:
ACROSS
1 Scampi, 5 Fire, 9 Cymru, 10 Cadbury, 11 Encrypt, 12 Opera, 13 Clove, 15 Store, 20 Shawl, 22 Enclave, 24 Grenade, 25 Rainy, 26 Fawn, 27 Tether.
DOWN
2 Comical, 3 Mousy, 4 Incite, 5 Fade out, 6 Route, 7 Acres, 8 Byway, 14 Villain, 16 Realise, 17 Usage, 18 Repent, 19 Beryl, 21 Arena, 23 Carat.
Saturday December 21
Cryptic:
ACROSS
1 Echidna, 5 Cheer, 8 Marks, 9 Illness, 10 Santa Fe, 11 React, 12 Entity, 14 Eagles, 18 Thick, 20 Mugshot, 22 Mandela, 23 Impel, 24 Shred, 25 Terrors.
DOWN
1 En masse, 2 Heron, 3 Distant, 4 Abided, 5 Calor, 6 Eyeball, 7 Reset, 13 Thinner, 15 Angrier, 16 Settles, 17 Umlaut, 18 Tames, 19 Knead, 21 Hippo.
Quick:
ACROSS
1 Equally, 5 Motto, 8 Rabbi, 9 Garnish, 10 Languor, 11 Hiker, 12 Proper, 14 Rivers, 18 Field, 20 Breathe, 22 Mollusc, 23 Unlet, 24 Depot, 25 Sternly.
DOWN
1 Ear-flap, 2 Urban, 3 Leisure, 4 Yogurt, 5 Mirth, 6 Twinkle, 7 Other, 13 Overlap, 15 Ice cube, 16 Sweetly, 17 Abacus, 18 Famed, 19 Daunt, 21 Talon.