Xmas x-word

crossword

Some are elementary

ACROSS
1 Senior number 29 in 2 17? (14)
7 Lady PM: “EU PR!” (grouped together in 2 17) (4,5,6)
8 Sarcasm sounds somewhat like number 26 in 2 17 (5)
9 Sang about 15, grating noise (5)
12 It’s kind of a relief (7)
13 Friar’s labour: gathering number 19 in 2 17 (4)
14 “Melt!” said God (4)
16 Delegate changed back to front (7)
17 Dumb broad (5)
18 Fear getting beheaded is wrong (5)
20 Openly adoring, badly hit about (2,5,8)
21 New plans: stranger men are around (14)

DOWN
1 Very honest diaries that gas recklessly (8,2,1,3)
2 Training, I swallow port now and then (8)
3 Scotsman takes run in the country (4)
4 It is the subject in this case (10)
5 15 under tidy town (5)
6 A feeling in the bones: root ISIS threat out (14)
10 Lear which ‘e performs conveys infirmity (10)
11 Play organ for number 18 in 2 17 (5)
15 Here’s the Top of the Charts, here’s Number One! (8)
17 Key the French stand (5)
19 English football’s chief barrier (4)

Solutions to dicmortimer@gmail.com by Jan 1 – there is a prize.