Across
9 Soften up with a brew of tea that is taken around Ms Flanders (9)
10 Trim eyeshades to see the prize (5)
11 A 50:4 mix for 12,14 (5)
12,14 As D Trump digs in, church leaders are in despair for festive fare (9,7)
13,25d Honest sounding copper is needed for 12,14 (7,4)
14 See 12
17 See 20
19 Well prepared for petit mal (3)
20,17 I fit rudder at sea for 12,14 (5,5)
21 A scarecrow gets around much less (7)
22 By taking in a short roamer, you get prickly (7)
24 Does butcher cheapen the French offal? (9)
26 Note teas, teased for 12,14 (5)
28 Force over, out of the woods (5)
29 Medics leader loses article when mixing adrenaline, for a starter (9)
Down
1,27 Strength to prosecute gets the lead for 12,14 (4,4)
2 Companies work to provide protection (6)
3 “Alternative” peasant gets round one who is philanthropic (10)
4 Offshore islands steeped in currency that’s a bit off (6)
5 Last month’s salesman finds it dilapidated (8)
6 Bans Poles! (4)
7 Family gathers round here, with one who hails from Persia (8)
8 Flower of Oxford (4)
13 To graze, from head to foot, is an act of aggression (5)
15 Is US government department suffering a spending review? (1,1,1,4,3)
16 Soldier and parson get my tail in a spin (5)
18 A foreign party at the house is taken back and let loose (8)
19 Encourage members to get forty-fives, say (8)
22 Gang surrounds ring leader, but gets you first, for 12,14 (6)
23 Worker said to go flat out for 12,14 (6)
24 For 12,14, say, pitted grapes are added (4)
25 See 13a
27 See 1d
We’ll publish the solution after Christmas! Enjoy!
(Copy and paste to print.)
