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I found this nowhere near as straight forward as those of recent weeks. There are a handful of clues related to Christmas, but not so many that I'd call it a theme.

I did initially think that the setter had made an error in 23a, but, after I checked in Chambers, and taken with the "next to" in the clue, I think it's probably Okay, but I'll be interested to hear what others think. Mind you, I wasn't helped by never having heard of the answer being used to describe an orange before.

The clues that held me up, aside from 23a, were 17d, not having come across it before, 22d, which I was convinced was a 'hidden' clue and 26a, mainly because I didn't have the crossing letters.

As always, please feel free to leave a comment or, if you get stuck, ask for a hint.

Merry Christmas

17d is ok. 23a is a Swedish turnip, as per Chambers. But I can’t figure out only 20d correctly, with whatever I had: ?w?s?d

Hi Mathi, I don't have any problems with 17d, I just hadn't heard of it.

I think you might have made a mistake with 23a, I can't find any 'turnip' reference in Chambers and it doesn't end in W, so that's why, I think. you're having problems with 20d. Like I said, the W is wrong but your other letters are correct and the definition is 'Shut'.

Hi again Mathi, I see what you've done with 23a, and the word you put in is indeed a Swedish turnip - you just need to change the last letter.

I parsed it as 'next to west part of church' + L(eft), That's why I questioned it's correctness - because I don't think that the word it suggests is the 'west', but is west of centre. That's why I think it says 'next to' in the clue.

Thanks. Got 20d now! It is obvious, between CD! 17d is there in the chamber’s dictionary program I have. If you use the first and last letters of the first two words, 17d parses ok too.

Glad you got it sorted, Mathi.

Hi all and an early merry christmas. I’m still up after a Christmas Party - just trying to keep hydrated and resolving to sleep it off tomorrow.

But, rock and roller that I am, I’ve decided to undertake the Everyman now instead of later

It might be my slightly addled head but I found it to be a bit of a fiddle. 23ac was fine - I’m impressed you were making a turnip fit for a while! But as for 17d, the less said the better.

I might have 2d wrong too.

No sooner posted than realised my error with 2d. All fixed now. 🙂

@richardk: Yup, I could never associate bellybuttons with oranges, until I looked up in the dictionary or photos in google. Yes, 2d was vague too, till you fill up all other nearby clues. Thanks anyway.

An enjoyable diversion from insomnia and horrid brain-buzz.

Whizzed through most of it, got mildly stuck on 17d and 26a and infuriatingly stuck on 2d to finish; a word I don’t use every day.

All done. Zzzzzz calling...