The Times Specialist 2023 12 24 - Crossword Answers

Clue	Answer
That which fills a small seasonal pie	MINCEMEAT
A rich cake, often layered	GATEAU
RAISE A GLASS TO	TOAST
Site where calcareous clay is dug	marl-pit
Herbaceous perennial also called fox’s brush	red valerian
The normal position of a bodily organ	SITUS
To cook using dry heat	ROAST
THE CAPITAL OF QATAR	DOHA
Typical of one’s usual behaviour	in character
Jackie Wilson’s Christmas No 1 of 1986	Reet Petite
Maritime shift of 4-6pm or 6-8pm	DOGWATCH
MP who served as Home Secretary, 1983-1985	Leon Brittan
Austrian composer noted for his very short pieces	Anton Webern
Display stands for knick-knacks	ETAGERES
In strictly mistaken terminology blamed on Leo Fender, a guitar’s ____ arm is called a whammy bar	TREMOLO
Sparkling wine which must be made entirely from Moscato Bianco grapes	ASTI
Gelatinous confection also called lokum	TURKISH DELIGHT
Put (someone) in a state of confusion	turn inside out
Eponymous boy of a 1762 treatise by Jean-Jacques Rousseau	EMILE
A heavenly body whose apparent brightness fluctuates	variable star
2018 Christmas film based on a Dr Seuss character	The Grinch
CHRISTMAS	NATIVITY
Phonograph records, collectively	VINYL
Love Came Down at Christmas is a ____ by Christina Rossetti	POEM
Actor who rose to fame as Ron Weasley	Rupert Grint
French epic poem, usually about knightly exploits	chanson de geste
Rugby position also called stand-off	outside half
Scandinavian goddess of love and war	FREYA
The contents of a poor box	ALMS
An alternative to yew for making bows	ELM
Newcastle United manager since 2021	Eddie Howe
Computer data retained for likely reuse	cache storage
5-shilling pieces	CROWNS

That which fills a small seasonal pie

MINCEMEAT

A rich cake, often layered

GATEAU

RAISE A GLASS TO

TOAST

Site where calcareous clay is dug

marl-pit

Herbaceous perennial also called fox’s brush

red valerian

The normal position of a bodily organ

SITUS