The PB Christmas Crossword reminds us for all the uncertainties of life, there are some things on which we can surely rely.
I shall however swerve attempting to resolve that puzzle and spend some time on tomorrow's racing which has a number of tricky little conundrums to resolve not least the King George at sunny Sunbury.
How did everyone get on with the turkey shortage that was going to bring the UK to its knees?
I did my traditional "filling in the corners" run around Morrisons at teatime yesterday, and they were selling off the last three dozen turkeys, geese and ducks at 75% off. The lady in front of me had phones around her friends and had 7 in the trolley, plus staff discount.
How did everyone get on with the turkey shortage that was going to bring the UK to its knees?
I did my traditional "filling in the corners" run around Morrisons at teatime yesterday, and they were selling off the last three dozen turkeys, geese and ducks at 75% off. The lady in front of me had phones around her friends and had 7 in the trolley, plus staff discount.
I believe that we solved it with Omicron reduced festivities 🤣🤣🤣
1 PM reveals all power corrupts without honour - right? (6,7)
ROBERT WALPOLE - anagram (indicated by corrupts) of “all power” around (without) “OBE” (honour) “Rt” (right). R (OBE + RT) WALPOLE.
Baron John Dalberg-Acton stated, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are always bad men.
More interesting do great men become bad or do bad men become great?
My guess is the latter. To become great you need to push the boundaries and be unconstrained by convention. Of course not everyone bad becomes great, but it is necessary not sufficient (for a given definition of bad)
9 Angry substitute gets SOMEWHERE TO SIT IN ANOTHER PLACE (10)
CROSSBENCH - Cross (angry) + bench (substitute, as a verb).
Another place here is The House of Lords.
Um is there a "quick" version, as opposed to cryptic version?
Anyway, Merry Christmas to all PBers and their loved ones!
It normally takes me a couple of hours looking at the solutions and explanations as they roll in, after which I'm still mystified so just assume that if the number of letters in the answer is the same as one or two words in the clue, it is probably an anagram.
6 RELY TOO MUCH, saying it’s more than oven-ready (9)
OVERTRUST - saying or sounding like “over trussed”, describing e.g. a chicken that’s overly prepared for the oven, with the wings and legs tied too much or too tight.
Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal was said to be “oven-ready”.
27 Dictator’s praise can secure A SENIOR POSITION IN GOVERNMENT (4,5,4)
LORD PRIVY SEAL - Lord (sounds like “laud” meaning praise - when spoken by a dictator, or someone dictating), + privy (can, toilet), + seal (secure).
According to Wikipedia, it's the 5th of the Great Offices of State in the United Kingdom. Current role holder is The Rt Hon Baroness Evans of Bowes Park.
23 Tea Party member should be chimp, but I bet it isn't.
Not chimp.
chump
No. Solved already.
Thanks, sorry St John , I was being facetious there to the previous "chimp"
You were trying to be a champ, but we're just left with chump while trying to pun about chimps. The best option now is to go and chomp on some festive fare.
Sadly there is no word 'chemp' so I can't extend that series of puns...
The moment you have peeled the potatoes, peeled and cored the parsnips, parboiled them, smothered them in butter and put them in roasting tray, and then go to put them in the oven...
..to find the tray you've selected is just half an inch too large...
The moment you have peeled the potatoes, peeled and cored the parsnips, parboiled them, smothered them in butter and put them in roasting tray, and then go to put them in the oven...
..to find the tray you've selected is just half an inch too large...
About thirty years ago, my parents had a new oven fitted. It came with a range of trays, one of which was ideal for the turkey that Christmas. As dad was getting it out partway through cooking, the tray bent in the middle, depositing all the hot fat and oil straight onto his foot.
To this day he's proud he didn't drop the turkey, and fortunately the slippers he was wearing saved him from the worst. His foot still has scars to this day.
So, one thing you don't want with Christmas dinner: roast foot!
The moment you have peeled the potatoes, peeled and cored the parsnips, parboiled them, smothered them in butter and put them in roasting tray, and then go to put them in the oven...
..to find the tray you've selected is just half an inch too large...
About thirty years ago, my parents had a new oven fitted. It came with a range of trays, one of which was ideal for the turkey that Christmas. As dad was getting it out partway through cooking, the tray bent in the middle, depositing all the hot fat and oil straight onto his foot.
To this day he's proud he didn't drop the turkey, and fortunately the slippers he was wearing saved him from the worst. His foot still has scars to this day.
So, one thing you don't want with Christmas dinner: roast foot!
Ouch.
Fortunately this year we're got a small Turkey, nine pounds. So it's not too bad in terms of getting it in and out of the oven.
Anyway, one Christmas present for us all - the change in the weather has boosted the amount of wind power enormously, so coupled with reduced demand we're getting 38% of our electricity from it at the moment.
Have to say as well, this BBC correspondent doing the commentary is really, really good. Clear, concise, knowledgeable, calm and also a perfect voice for it with excellent diction.
Still musing on the King George but inclining towards FRODON to follow up last year's success. Available at 7s in a couple of places.
If you've not already assumed I flirt with insanity (I am very nearly Barking), I've also had a tenner on England to win the third test at 11/2. A bit counter intuitive maybe but the old "backs to the wall" narrative comes to the fore.
The moment you have peeled the potatoes, peeled and cored the parsnips, parboiled them, smothered them in butter and put them in roasting tray, and then go to put them in the oven...
..to find the tray you've selected is just half an inch too large...
About thirty years ago, my parents had a new oven fitted. It came with a range of trays, one of which was ideal for the turkey that Christmas. As dad was getting it out partway through cooking, the tray bent in the middle, depositing all the hot fat and oil straight onto his foot.
To this day he's proud he didn't drop the turkey, and fortunately the slippers he was wearing saved him from the worst. His foot still has scars to this day.
So, one thing you don't want with Christmas dinner: roast foot!
We've cooked a goose only once. I knew it was a fatty bird but we weren't prepared for how fatty. In getting it out of the oven, my husband spilt fat everywhere ruining a good pair of shoes. When I went to help, I started slidding around in the spilt fat and the two of us ended up clinging on to the kitchen units like something out of a comedy sketch. That put me off cooking goose. (Although I did enjoy smoked goose at The Gay Hussar. Aah, those times!)
Back to the crossword: 1 Down: Reaganonics? Anagram of Cameron plus is and ag = against. 20 Across Usage New York is in US Times = Ages 21 Down Sun up?
Still musing on the King George but inclining towards FRODON to follow up last year's success. Available at 7s in a couple of places.
If you've not already assumed I flirt with insanity (I am very nearly Barking), I've also had a tenner on England to win the third test at 11/2. A bit counter intuitive maybe but the old "backs to the wall" narrative comes to the fore.
I fancy Clan Des Obeaux but the odds are far too short.
Have to say as well, this BBC correspondent doing the commentary is really, really good. Clear, concise, knowledgeable, calm and also a perfect voice for it with excellent diction.
The decisions not to have cameras on the launcher and telescope....
The deployment would be awesome in 4K. If it works.....
The moment you have peeled the potatoes, peeled and cored the parsnips, parboiled them, smothered them in butter and put them in roasting tray, and then go to put them in the oven...
..to find the tray you've selected is just half an inch too large...
About thirty years ago, my parents had a new oven fitted. It came with a range of trays, one of which was ideal for the turkey that Christmas. As dad was getting it out partway through cooking, the tray bent in the middle, depositing all the hot fat and oil straight onto his foot.
To this day he's proud he didn't drop the turkey, and fortunately the slippers he was wearing saved him from the worst. His foot still has scars to this day.
So, one thing you don't want with Christmas dinner: roast foot!
That would terrify me. Diabetic people are very vulnerable to foot injuries, and the difficulty of healing thereof.
Only ever had one, and that was a fairly mild shoe rubbing which ended up as an ulcer with a need for a minor op. Since I had an epidural I got to watch. V. interesting.
Still musing on the King George but inclining towards FRODON to follow up last year's success. Available at 7s in a couple of places.
If you've not already assumed I flirt with insanity (I am very nearly Barking), I've also had a tenner on England to win the third test at 11/2. A bit counter intuitive maybe but the old "backs to the wall" narrative comes to the fore.
I fancy Clan Des Obeaux but the odds are far too short.
When Megan Nicholls said on ITV Racing last Saturday how well the horse was, the price collapsed. I can't forget he was beaten eight lengths in this last year and this looks a stronger renewal.
Have to say as well, this BBC correspondent doing the commentary is really, really good. Clear, concise, knowledgeable, calm and also a perfect voice for it with excellent diction.
The decisions not to have cameras on the launcher and telescope....
The deployment would be awesome in 4K. If it works.....
The downer really was all the cloud so you could only see about the first 10 seconds before they switched to CGI.
Have to say as well, this BBC correspondent doing the commentary is really, really good. Clear, concise, knowledgeable, calm and also a perfect voice for it with excellent diction.
The decisions not to have cameras on the launcher and telescope....
The deployment would be awesome in 4K. If it works.....
It's something SpaceX now do excellently (although not at first).
The moment you have peeled the potatoes, peeled and cored the parsnips, parboiled them, smothered them in butter and put them in roasting tray, and then go to put them in the oven...
..to find the tray you've selected is just half an inch too large...
About thirty years ago, my parents had a new oven fitted. It came with a range of trays, one of which was ideal for the turkey that Christmas. As dad was getting it out partway through cooking, the tray bent in the middle, depositing all the hot fat and oil straight onto his foot.
To this day he's proud he didn't drop the turkey, and fortunately the slippers he was wearing saved him from the worst. His foot still has scars to this day.
So, one thing you don't want with Christmas dinner: roast foot!
That would terrify me. Diabetic people are very vulnerable to foot injuries, and the difficulty of healing thereof.
Only ever had one, and that was a fairly mild shoe rubbing which ended up as an ulcer with a need for a minor op. Since I had an epidural I got to watch. V. interesting.
Ouch. TBF it's not something that ever occurred to me. What exactly is the problem with diabetes and foot injuries? Is it the same for Type 1 and Type 2?
Still musing on the King George but inclining towards FRODON to follow up last year's success. Available at 7s in a couple of places.
If you've not already assumed I flirt with insanity (I am very nearly Barking), I've also had a tenner on England to win the third test at 11/2. A bit counter intuitive maybe but the old "backs to the wall" narrative comes to the fore.
I fancy Clan Des Obeaux but the odds are far too short.
When Megan Nicholls said on ITV Racing last Saturday how well the horse was, the price collapsed. I can't forget he was beaten eight lengths in this last year and this looks a stronger renewal.
You're absolutely right - 3/1 is ridiculous.
He had a very hard race at Wetherby not long before last time, be fresh as a daisy this year. I have a free £5 bet on BET365 so will strick that on him anyway.
The moment you have peeled the potatoes, peeled and cored the parsnips, parboiled them, smothered them in butter and put them in roasting tray, and then go to put them in the oven...
..to find the tray you've selected is just half an inch too large...
About thirty years ago, my parents had a new oven fitted. It came with a range of trays, one of which was ideal for the turkey that Christmas. As dad was getting it out partway through cooking, the tray bent in the middle, depositing all the hot fat and oil straight onto his foot.
To this day he's proud he didn't drop the turkey, and fortunately the slippers he was wearing saved him from the worst. His foot still has scars to this day.
So, one thing you don't want with Christmas dinner: roast foot!
That would terrify me. Diabetic people are very vulnerable to foot injuries, and the difficulty of healing thereof.
Only ever had one, and that was a fairly mild shoe rubbing which ended up as an ulcer with a need for a minor op. Since I had an epidural I got to watch. V. interesting.
Ouch. TBF it's not something that ever occurred to me. What exactly is the problem with diabetes and foot injuries? Is it the same for Type 1 and Type 2?
Diabetes worsens blood circulation and makes feet less sensitive. So problems with cuts and bruises on the feet may go unnoticed and feet are typically the most vulnerable part of the body to circulation issues which makes healing from wounds etc. take longer.
Comments
Thanks for the crossword @stjohn and hope you have a good Christmas.
Merry Christmas everybody!
ROBERT WALPOLE - anagram (indicated by corrupts) of “all power” around (without) “OBE” (honour) “Rt” (right). R (OBE + RT) WALPOLE.
Baron John Dalberg-Acton stated, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are always bad men.
BINGO - Bing (Crosby, crooner) by- (next to) “O” (election’s penultimate letter). Bing O.
Bingo is what a winner declares when playing the game Bingo.
The Crosby by-election in 1981 was the first electoral success of the newly formed SDP and was won by Shirley Williams.
EEC - part of Gr(EEC)e.
Off to breakfast, Merrie Xmas one and all
P)EELMerry Christmas from downtown East London.
The PB Christmas Crossword reminds us for all the uncertainties of life, there are some things on which we can surely rely.
I shall however swerve attempting to resolve that puzzle and spend some time on tomorrow's racing which has a number of tricky little conundrums to resolve not least the King George at sunny Sunbury.
EEL - (P)eel (PM, Robert Peel, without his starting letter).
Thanks for the crossword
Happy Christmas.
Can't do any crossword, so I'm refocussing to my Christmas boiled heggs.
LOSER - Los (the Spanish) ER (Queen. Elizabeth Regina).
BERLIN WALL - anagram (indicated by, in disarray) of Blair L (left) New L (Labour’s leadership)
ISIS - aims aims with alternative letters rejected.
CROSSBENCH - Cross (angry) + bench (substitute, as a verb).
Another place here is The House of Lords.
How did everyone get on with the turkey shortage that was going to bring the UK to its knees?
I did my traditional "filling in the corners" run around Morrisons at teatime yesterday, and they were selling off the last three dozen turkeys, geese and ducks at 75% off. The lady in front of me had phones around her friends and had 7 in the trolley, plus staff discount.
WHO’S WHO - S (first letter of Spin) taken in by Who Who (doctors) . WHO (S) WHO.
Anyway, Merry Christmas to all PBers and their loved ones!
ROCK LAYER - anagrams of “Clarke” and “Roy” indicated by worked with.
CANON LAW - Con (Conservative) + Law (PM, Andrew Bonar Law) with the letters A and N (new) introduced. [C (a n) on] Law
Canon Law is a set of ecclesiastical rules that is enforced by church ministers.
My guess is the latter. To become great you need to push the boundaries and be unconstrained by convention. Of course not everyone bad becomes great, but it is necessary not sufficient (for a given definition of bad)
Overclaim?
Tis a word that fits meaning and clue, but not an elegant one.
Lots of other good over- words - overcooks, overbaked, overtrust.
HAIN - (C)hain, meaning cable with the first letter removed (polled, as in lopped the top off).
Lord Peter HAIN is a Labour grandee.
And retiring whilst I'm ahead.
Trust = Trussed
OVERTRUST - saying or sounding like “over trussed”, describing e.g. a chicken that’s overly prepared for the oven, with the wings and legs tied too much or too tight.
Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal was said to be “oven-ready”.
C(aught) in A LIE
ALICE - c (caught) inside ‘a lie”. A LI (C) E
Alice in Wonderland attended, so was a member of the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.
IRREGULAR - R (resistance) after “regul” (luger [weapon - German pistol] letters return) splits or divides IRA (militants). [IR (REGUL) A] + R
KIER - a type of vat. Sounds like (announcement of) Keir (Starmer, current Labour leader) or (Hardie, the first Labour leader).
tributesplayers for the Boxing Day Test.Ashes: England-Australia Melbourne Test - tourists make four changes for Boxing Day
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/59789912
LORD PRIVY SEAL - Lord (sounds like “laud” meaning praise - when spoken by a dictator, or someone dictating), + privy (can, toilet), + seal (secure).
According to Wikipedia, it's the 5th of the Great Offices of State in the United Kingdom. Current role holder is The Rt Hon Baroness Evans of Bowes Park.
Merry Christmas to all PBers, whatever the colour of your rosette.
Santa left 2 positive cases this morning.
Sadly there is no word 'chemp' so I can't extend that series of puns...
Sorry to hear that. I hope it’s not too serious.
I’ve been looking at the crossword for too long. My first thought was that you’d received a decent quantity of fine wine!
What's the fourth?
..to find the tray you've selected is just half an inch too large...
Mind you. They'd get an eleven out of the spectators to beat us.
To this day he's proud he didn't drop the turkey, and fortunately the slippers he was wearing saved him from the worst. His foot still has scars to this day.
So, one thing you don't want with Christmas dinner: roast foot!
Fortunately this year we're got a small Turkey, nine pounds. So it's not too bad in terms of getting it in and out of the oven.
Merry Christmas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nT7JGZMbtM
Have to say as well, this BBC correspondent doing the commentary is really, really good. Clear, concise, knowledgeable, calm and also a perfect voice for it with excellent diction.
Still musing on the King George but inclining towards FRODON to follow up last year's success. Available at 7s in a couple of places.
If you've not already assumed I flirt with insanity (I am very nearly Barking), I've also had a tenner on England to win the third test at 11/2. A bit counter intuitive maybe but the old "backs to the wall" narrative comes to the fore.
Back to the crossword: 1 Down: Reaganonics? Anagram of Cameron plus is and ag = against.
20 Across Usage New York is in US Times = Ages
21 Down Sun up?
The deployment would be awesome in 4K. If it works.....
Only ever had one, and that was a fairly mild shoe rubbing which ended up as an ulcer with a need for a minor op. Since I had an epidural I got to watch. V. interesting.
You're absolutely right - 3/1 is ridiculous.