DECEMBER, 2020 | GLOBEANDMAIL.COM DIVERSIONS Welcome to a winter puzzle wonderland—a festive assortment of word, number and logic-based brain-twisters from Fraser Simpson, creator of The Globe and Mail’s cryptic

1 2 3 WORD PLAY 31 30 4 32 29 28 Spiral 55 5 33 56 You’ll need to think in two directions to solve this 54 puzzle. The Inward clues yield a sequence of words 57 27 34 53 to be entered counterclockwise in the spaces from 75 6 76 1 to 100. The Outward clues yield a different 58 74 set of words to be entered from 100 to 1. 77 52 26 35 Fill in the answers, one letter per space, 90 91 73 according to the numbers beside the clues. 7 59 Can you get there and back again? 78 89 92 51 25 INWARD 36 100 72 1-7 Feliz _____ 60 88 8-14 Nullified 8 79 93 24 15-21 Maritimes settler 99 50 22-25 Muscat’s country 37 71 26-31 Fine point 61 87 9 80 32-38 TV detective with a pet cockatoo 94 49 23 39-47 Connected to the sense of smell 98 48-53 PG-13, for one 38 70 54-58 Lazy sort 62 86 81 95 59-62 Toaster waffle brand 10 97 22 63-69 Bloodsucking insect (2 wds.) 96 48 70-77 Stuck around 39 69 63 82 85 78-84 Convertibles, slangily 11 85-89 Henry Ford’s son 83 84 47 68 21 90-93 Firewood measure 40 64 94-100 Portman of Black Swan 67 12 65 66 46 OUTWARD 41 20 100-96 ’s southernmost city 45 95-87 _____ and the Lion (folktale) 13 42 43 44 19 86-81 Iron-fisted ruler 80-73 Fragrant white flower 14 18 72-68 Streep of Big Little Lies 15 17 67-64 Gratis 16 63-56 Crude poetry 55-47 VIP Catching a code Just add vowels 46-43 U.S. campus military org. We’ve taken six common In this small crossword, 42-37 Bobbing on the water’s surface six-letter words, listed in all of the consonants in the 36-29 Huge unit of digital storage alphabetical order, and answer words are provided 28-21 Reddish-brown spice disguised them using a (in alphabetical order). 20-17 Opera set in Egypt random substitution cipher. The missing vowels—and 16-12 Military student We’ll tell you that X stands the words themselves—are 11-6 Meeting’s order of business for M, and C stands for T. for you to guess. The letter 5-1 Long, backless sofa Can you determine the words? Y isn’t used.

ACROSS 4 NRS WRAPPED IN HAPPINESS 5 DST Why does getting a wrapped gift make us happier than receiving an 6 DGM unwrapped gift? The sight of wrapped presents makes us happy because we almost always get them during happy times in our lives, according DOWN to a study conducted by researchers at Southern Methodist University, in 1 DRS Dallas. Through “repeated pairing with joyous events” in our lives, gift 2 CMV wrapping “has utility in cueing a happy mood,” the researchers stated. 3 GNZ DIVERSIONS, DECEMBER 2020 PAGE 2

Ribbon The answers to the clues are all four-letter words, listed in no particular order. Fill the ribbon with the words overlapping by two letters, like ACHY and HYMN in the example. We’ve supplied the first and last letters of the ribbon. Can you piece the CLUES words together? male deer printer’s colour gumbo veggie Shrek, e.g. angelic ring suggestive exam take a peek wide-eyed pot builder

Twists and turns Get ready to twist your words in this variety crossword. Answers take a winding path through the grid, each making one or more 90-degree turns. The letter after each clue indicates the answer’s starting 1W Severe traffic problem (8) direction: north, south, east or west. The number in parentheses 2E Signified (7) after the clue indicates the length of the answer. Each letter in the 3E Romney’s baseball glove? (4) completed grid will appear in exactly two words. 4N Funeral song (5) 5W Having good musculature (5) 6N Spreads frosting on (4) 7S Basketball position (7) Slide show 8S Attracts (5) Slide the 18 letters surrounding 9N Frigidity (8) the grid into the empty squares 10S Handcuffed person (8) so that four words are formed 11N Frequently, to a poet (8) reading across and five words 12E Avid (4) are formed reading down. 13S From the Orient (7) Letters above and below the grid 14W Ebbs (7) slide vertically to any position 15S Up and about (5) without changing columns, and 16N Inconsistent (7) letters to the left and right slide 17S Steamy, as a love affair (6) horizontally to any position 18S Job of mayors, MPs, MLAs, etc. (8) without changing rows. Each 19S Cathedral musician (8) exterior letter is used only once. 20N Frocks (7) Two additional letters are already 21N Knotty wood (4) positioned in the grid. Can you 22S Pan-_____ (browned quickly) (6) slide all of the others into place? 23W Liberal Party member, slangily (4) 24N Ran easily (5) 25N _____-and-true (reliable) (5) 26N Secret Service agent’s wear (8) 27E Succinct (5) 28W Greek wine (7) 29E Calgary and Edmonton, e.g. (6)

Pangram fill-in Use the randomly listed clues to complete this small crossword puzzle. Each letter of the alphabet will appear exactly once in the completed grid. CLUES MISTLE EWWWWW carton donate like morning grass baaing group This probably won’t get watch-crystal mineral checkers move cogitates you into a kissing mood: mistletoe gets its name from the Anglo-Saxon word “mistle,” meaning “dung,” and “tan,” which means “twig,” because Word jigsaw ancient Anglo-Saxons Fit the pieces into the frame to form common, noticed that the plant often uncapitalized words reading across and down grows where birds do their crossword-style. There’s no need to rotate the business, according to pieces: they’ll fit as shown, with each piece the U.S. National Wildlife used exactly once. Federation. Pucker up under the dung-on-a-twig. DIVERSIONS, DECEMBER 2020 PAGE 3

Holiday temps ACROSS Each row of the grid in this variety cryptic crossword contains a “temporary 1 Excitedly learn name of the composer of Over the Rainbow worker,” a single letter that must leave before its word is entered into the grid. Put 2 Do organize truce outside lavatory (2 wds.) this letter instead in the separate, rightmost column. Use the Down entries to help 10 New York’s smell inhaled by you, President Roosevelt you determine which letter in each row is the temp. When the grid is filled, the 11 Jogged beside one Indian princess rightmost column will reveal one more holiday temp, hard at work. Enumerations 12 Hockey thug and wild tapir travel around (4 wds.) for the Across clues are withheld to disguise the location of the temps. 13 Dick and Harry’s partner in CIA turned back one type of clock 14 Start to think twice about tiny sound coming from a nest 15 Dudes engaging shortstop with last of arguments lacking substance 17 Roughly sculpted figure without face (2 wds.) 18 Fresh report covering university clubs 19 Possibly lead fighting spirit to the auditorium 21 State, “I’d sigh with love” 23 Audibly bewails times when roosters are heard 25 Paar organized U.S. group for seniors (abbr.) 26 Economic disparity called for paintings to be returned (2 wds.) 27 Squeal on racetrack tipster behind restricted area (2 wds.) 28 Italian supermodel initially falsified a certain book-jacket blurb 30 Lying down, checking around two o’clock 31 Don’t start physical contact that hurts 32 After order’s messed up, see irate diners 33 Streetcar you left, following nasty internet troublemaker 34 Glittery rock gets halved with dedicated work

DOWN 1 Starting squads consumed deli meats with no starter (1,5) 2 Seurat provides all the elements for chef’s boss (12) 3 Shot up head of old timber wolf (4) 4 Glide precariously to end of runway in a tense way (6) 5 Sees sorcerer holding back stick used in a game (6) 6 Provides lodging for Stentor, weirdly (5,2) 7 Saturate almost all of battle site and general (8) 8 Unbridled turmoil wasn’t fair? (12) 9 Stealthily move woven top secured by knot (6) 16 Wind Science, by an Italian guy (8) 19 Hawkish army officer heard (7) 20 Vegetable deterioration in back of auto (6) 22 Rock salt he has set down (6) Daisy chain 23 Slim men agree, but neither one completely (6) Add a letter to the first set of letters below and form a common word by 24 Barfly embraces quiet partner (6) anagramming the six given letters plus the one you added. Enter the word 29 Bishop joins carnival city liveliness (4) in the squares to the right. For each succeeding row, add the last letter of the previous word you wrote to the new set of letters before anagramming. The last letter of your fifth word should be the letter you added to the first word. Only word play experts will complete this daisy chain of . Four-gone conclusions Use the letters in the letter list once each to fill the blanks to form common, uncapitalized four-letter words. Many of the three-letter chunks can end with more than one letter, but the solution using all 10 letters is unique.

LETTER LIST: DEFLMNOPRT LOO___ CAL___ GLU___ SEA___ ROO___ HAR___ SOL___ LAN___ NOT___ F I R ___

FAILED RESOLUTIONS TREE EXPORTS Only 8 per cent of people achieve exported more than 2.2 million their New Year’s resolutions, Christmas trees, most of them grown according to researchers at the in Quebec, in 2017. Fresh cut University of Scranton. Most of us Christmas trees were exported to more give up quickly. Studies have than 20 countries, including Aruba, shown approximately 80 per cent Bahamas, France, Jamaica, Singapore of people throw in the towel and the United Arab Emirates, by February. according to Statistics Canada. DIVERSIONS, DECEMBER 2020 PAGE 4

LOGIC PLAY

Match play Crossed letters The grid contains unburnt matches of different Place one of A, B, C or D sizes. You may burn any amount of each match, into each of the 25 empty or leave the match unburnt. You “burn” a match cells so that the number by shading segments from the head (rounded of letters in each end) to the tail, without skipping segments. The row and column is numbers outside the grid indicate the number as indicated by the of burnt segments in the corresponding row or numbers. Identical column. Can you shade in the burnt segments Spymaster letters cannot be to “match” the numbers? Deduce a secret number made next to each other of four different digits 1 through in the grid either 9. The chart shows four guesses horizontally at the number, and a score for or vertically. each guess using marbles. Any digit that appears in the secret number in the same position as in the guess is scored with a black marble. Any digit that appears in the secret number Pathfinder in a different position than A path of 36 consecutive in the guess is scored with a numbers, connected white marble. Any digit that horizontally or vertically, is not in the secret number and never diagonally, will does not get a marble. It’s up complete this grid. Some to you to determine which numbers are given to get digits are indicated by the you started. Can you place a marbles. Can you figure out number in each empty cell to the four-digit number? create the only correct path?

NUMBER PLAY

Times square Criss-cross math Each of the seven letters used in this word square represents a Place the digits 1 to 9, once each, into the different digit 1 through 7. The numbers outside the grid show empty cells so that the three rows across and the results of multiplying the values of the letters in each three columns down form correct arithmetic row and column. Can you determine the values of the letters statements. All calculations involve only and fill the empty grid with their corresponding numbers? positive whole numbers and should be performed from left to right and top to bottom, FROZEN ignoring mathematical order of operations. Canada’s coldest day on record was marked in the small Yukon village of Snag on Feb. 3, 1947. The temperature was -62.8 degrees Celsius. It was so cold that exposed skin would freeze in three minutes. And the place in Canada that got the biggest snowfall on a single day? That honour belongs to Tahtsa Lake, in B.C. On Feb. 11, 1999, it received 145 cm of snow, Bike lock nearly a metre and a half. My bicycle lock has a combination that is a six-digit – DAVE MCGINN number with no repeated digits. The first digit is larger than the fifth digit, the sum of the first and second digits is equal to the sum of the fourth and fifth digits, the third digit is one more than the last digit, the second digit is one more than the fifth digit, and the first digit is two less than the last digit. If the sum of all six digits is 39, Sweet stash CANDY can you figure out my So that’s where those holiday treats are kept! In this addition bike lock combo? alphametic, each digit has been replaced with the same + C A N E letter everywhere it appears. None of the three numbers starts with zero. Can you find the unique solution? DRAWER Spiral Four-gone conclusions Match play LOON, CALL, GLUT, SEAR, ROOF, HARP, SOLO, LAND, NOTE, FIRM

Daisy chain

PAYBACK I NKWELL SQUALID DESKTOP AMPLIFY Spymaster 3269 Holiday temps

ARL ENCREWUTC TEODORERAN I H Crossed letters Pathfinder ESBGOONATRP I ATOI CSTWEETM 49 48 47 46 41 40 MAS LESSORSOS 50 25 24 45 42 39 SUCYMETALTEA 51 26 23 44 43 38 CR I DAHOMORS N ABACB 52 27 28 29 36 37 AARPRADEGAP T Catching a code Twists and turns BACDC 53 54 55 30 35 34 RTOUTLFABIOA DBDCB RE C L I I NGR NUN ACADC 58 57 56 31 32 33 CAUGHT I RGDESEM I FAMILY OUCHATERI ESE DACBD DENCT TROL LEGEODEY GUFFAW OLDETOT I FTD HEARTY CNSAOR ACROSS ICICLE KEESERRERWA 1 ARLEN (anag.) WARMTH 2 CRE(W C)UT (truce anag.) Sweet stash Criss-cross math ASECS 10 THE(ODOR)E TSTERN I EDEP 11 RAN + 1 97612 2 7 9 Just add vowels I ODPSO 12 GO ON + A TRIP (tapir anag.) + 9768 RGRR I ERA E I L 13 A(TOM)IC (CIA rev.) 107380 ATDET 14 T(WEE) + T 1 5 4 E OV OO 15 MA(SS)LES + S N ISTERSC I REASON 17 (t)OR SO AOCOZ 1W GRIDLOCK 16N ERRATIC 18 SA(U + C)Y Times square 3 8 6 STUD I O 2E DENOTED 17S TORRID 19 METAL (mettle hom.) EOUON 3E MITT 18S POLITICS 21 I’D + AH + O 6454 DAMAGE 4N DIRGE 19S ORGANIST 23 MORNS (mourns hom.) 5W TONED 20N DRESSES 25 AARP (anag.) 1527 6N ICES 21N PINE 26 TRADE GAP (paged + art rev.) 7712 7S FORWARD 22S SEARED 27 R + A + T OUT Bike lock 8S DRAWS 23W GRIT 28 F + A + BIO 2153 Slide show 659748 9N COLDNESS 24N LOPED 30 RE(CL)INING 10S ARRESTEE 25N TRIED 31 (t)OUCH MOOSE 11N OFTTIMES 26N EARPIECE 32 EATERIES (anag.) ENVOY 12E KEEN 27E TERSE 33 TROLL + EY (ye rev.) 13S EASTERN 28W RETSINA 34 GE(ts) + ODE STALE 14W RECEDES 29E CITIES DOWN 15S ASTIR HOLES 1 A TE + (h)AMS 2 RESTAURATEUR (letter bank) 3 LOB + O Word jigsaw Pangram fill-in 4 EDGIL + Y (glide anag.) 5 CROSSE (hidden rev.) J 6 RENTS TO (anag.) 7 WATERLO(o) + G QUARTZ 8 UNREST + RAINED M H D 9 TI(PTO)E (top anag.) P G I VE 16 SCI + ROCCO B N W 19 MARTIAL (marshal hom.) 20 CAR + ROT F LOCK Y 22 H(ALIT)E X S 23 ME(n) + AGRE(e) 24 S(P)OUSE 29 B + RIO

Ribbon HLORCATSAOR Solutions

AOKAYNETGGE

DECEMBER 2020 DECEMBER DIVERSIONS, DIVERSIONS, PAGE 5 PAGE DIVERSIONS, DECEMBER 2020 PAGE 6

GIANT CROSSWORD B RER M

3 4 5

Instructions

The crossword will print out in 12 pages. as 712 6 7 8 Clues as 1318 Crossword grid, in sections; you can piece it together using the diagram at right. DIVERSIONS, DECEMBER 2020 PAGE 7

DIVERSIONS - HOLIDAYS 2020 PAGE 2 CLUES ACROSS CLUES ACROSS

1 – 236 81 Where talk show host Lilly Singh got 162 Polenta ingredient (8) her start (7) 163 Greek sun god (6) 1 “Merry Christmas!” en francais (6,4) 83 Gemstone measure equal to 200 164 Choose not to participate (7) 6 Back alley feline (5,3) milligrams (5) 169 Gulliver’s Travels brute (5) 19 Furniture items with moulded seats 84 Distrustful (5) 171 Its state capital is Chandigarh (6) (5,6) 85 Keeps trying (8) 172 Tortilla chip dip (5) 25 Affluent (4-2-2) 87 Cone-bearing evergreens (9) 174 Makes fun of (5) 29 Leaky pen result (3,5) 90 Moistening a cooking turkey (7) 176 Bathysphere reading (5) 35 Location of Eureka and Alert (7) 93 Where to watch Russian Doll (7) 178 Lara’s love (7) 37 Best _____ Screenplay (Oscar 97 Thumb extender (10) 179 Temporary fix (7) category) (7) 102 Frenzied (6) 180 Dejected (8) 38 Hazardous (5) 104 Nods at, perhaps (12) 182 Heroic exploits (7-2) 41 Stitch anew (5) 106 Long in the tooth (7) 184 Edible fungus or chocolate treat 42 Avery Island hot sauce (7) 107 Life of Pi director (3,3) (7) 43 Upper body (5) 109 Disney heroines, often (10) 185 Sea cow (7) 44 Clean the slate (5) 111 Map feature (5) 186 White Christmas crooner (4,6) 45 Cleopatra’s Needle, e.g. (7) 113 Brain cell (6) 188 Nest egg (7) 46 Destructive wave (7) 114 Word before sanctum or tube (5) 190 Impart knowledge to (7) 47 Acupressure massage (7) 115 Komodo dragon, e.g. (6) 192 Prepare for prayer (5) 48 Fork or knife (7) 117 Hard, shiny finish (7) 193 Accompanied (4,4) 49 Entrance on Christmas Eve (7) 118 Be of one mind (5) 195 Units of electrical resistance (4) 50 Hand sanitizer ingredient (7) 119 Restaurant reservation (5) 197 Andre of tennis (6) 51 Young _____ (Iain Armitage sitcom) 120 What I Did For Love musical (1,6,4) 198 Abacus sliders (5) (7) 122 Unpaid assembly line worker (5) 200 _____ Special (holiday meal at 52 Neil Armstrong portrayer in First 123 Preoccupy (6) Swiss Chalet) (7) Man (4,7) 124 Head scarf (8) 204 Cold-weather accessory (5) 53 Not doing anything (4) 126 It begins, “The family of Dashwood 206 Go hungry (6) 54 Criticism (4) had long been settled in Sussex” 207 Against (4) 55 One offering lodging (9) (5,3,11) 210 “To put it differently, ...” (2,5,5) 56 Protective sheet during painting 134 Drains of energy (4) (4,5) 211 Eloquent speakers (7) 135 Certain instant-win chances (7,7) 57 Water-cooled smoking pipe (6) 215 The highest one has a 33% rate 140 Like some December weather (8) (3,7) 59 Beautiful snowy landscape, in a 143 Thin-voiced (5) holiday song (6,10) 216 Quaff at a cod-kissing ceremony 144 Frosty’s eyes (4) (7) 63 Movie archaeologist whose real first name is Henry (7,5) 145 Waiter’s offering (4) 217 Staying power (7) 66 Tap (6) 146 More raspy-voiced (7) 218 Adversity (8) 69 Sailor’s greeting (4,4) 149 Editor’s “let it stand” (4) 219 Chauffeur’s uniform (6) 70 Part of Miss Muffet’s meal (4) 150 “That’s using your noggin!” (4,4) 221 What 15/3 is (4,2,5) 72 Holiday wrapper’s need (6) 151 Savoury taste (5) 223 Learn about (4,2) 73 Upper layer of the forest (6) 153 Place to buy un Napoléon (10) 227 Palindromic Honda model (5) 76 Add monograms to, in a way (9) 155 Subtle distinctions (8) 230 Hawaii’s “Garden Isle” (5) 77 Word of thanks (5) 156 Traditional cricket-bat wood (6) 231 Painter of The Jack Pine and The West Wind (3,7) 78 Bravo reality show whose logo 157 Without a cue (10) includes a knife (3,4) 159 2018 Grey Cup winners (10) 236 Scrooge creator (7,7) DIVERSIONS, DECEMBER 2020 PAGE 8

CLUESDIVERSIONS - HOLIDAYSACROSS 2020 PAGE 3 CLUES ACROSS

244 – 437 302 Survey feedback (9) 363 Offer unwanted advice at cards (6) 304 _____ mirror (4-4) 364 Academic retirees (7) 244 Rolling in the Deep singer (5) 306 Haberdashery item (7) 366 Before dawn (5) 245 Seafaring (8) 307 Take back, as land (7) 367 Clue left by Cinderella (5,7) 247 Privacy advocate’s bane (12) 308 “And finally...” (4,2,3) 369 Make a pigtail (5) 249 Slow-moving mammal (5) 310 Dead-end streets (4-2-3) 370 Pride and _____ (9) 250 Pale lager (7) 312 Need to drink (6) 374 Rash (9) 251 Like candy canes (5) 314 Tympanic membrane (7) 375 “Poison” shrub (5) 254 Provide funding for (5) 316 Inconsequential (7) 376 Chestnut-coated hunting dog (5,6) 255 People about to drop off (11) 317 Grapefruit-flavoured soft drink 377 Get-up-and-go (5) 257 Chicago airport (1’4) brand (6) 378 Desirable quality (5) 258 Like the pronoun “ourselves” (9) 319 State in which the Scopes trial was 381 Angrily attack, with “at” (4,3) 259 Fail to keep up with events (4,5) held (9) 382 Steve Martin’s instrument (5) 263 Mukluk wearers (5) 321 Green-fleshed melons (9) 383 Legolas portrayer (7,5) 265 Readily heard (5,2,1,4) 322 Chores to run (7) 385 Group assignments at school (8) 266 Rho follower (5) 324 Accuse of misconduct, as a 387 Majestic (5) president (7) 267 Tiny air sacs in the lungs (7) 388 “No blinking” match (7,7) 325 Fed-up landlord’s action (8) 268 Echo effect (6) 396 U.S. bank whose symbol is a 269 Shoelace tip (5) 326 Their albums include OK Computer sixhorse stagecoach (5,5) and In Rainbows (9) 270 Green with vegetation (7) 400 Concert grand, e.g. (5) 328 Mar (6) 271 Order more inventory (7) 401 Close-fitting, or Scrooge-like (5) 329 Account for with a justification (7) 272 Metaphor for a conspicuous item 404 Born first (6) 330 Line through Colombia and (4,5) 408 Cow tipping or the vanishing Uganda (7) 273 Without restrictions, as a question hitchhiker, e.g. (5,6) 332 Slowly, on sheet music (6) (4-5) 410 Toward the rudder (6) 333 La Vie en Rose singer (5,4) 274 Last name of two prime ministers 411 Board blemish (8) (7) 335 Get used to new conditions (9) 413 Passes, as time (7) 275 Grand theft auto, e.g. (6) 337 The “T” of WCTU (10) 414 Oscar hopeful (7) 278 Haifa native (7) 338 Christmas Oratorio composer (4) 415 On the Beach topic (7,3) 279 Celeb’s followers (3,4) 339 2005 film based on the Firefly TV 417 Abrade the surface of (7) 281 Colour in a Beatles album title (6) series (8) 419 Undecided matter (4,8) 282 TV series with Keir Gilchrist as 342 Watercourse blockage near a 420 Throw a party (4) Sam Gardner, a teen on the autism lumber mill (6) spectrum (8) 344 Pudding choice (7) 421 Heather’s bookstore chain (6) 285 Impolite (4) 347 Glorified (7) 422 The Nutcracker heroine (5) 287 Date night hiree (10) 349 334-Down festival of lights (6) 424 Coffee variety (7) 289 Sworn to tell the truth, as in court 351 Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, 428 Pale-looking (5) (5,4) Chelsea author (7) 429 Corrects, as text (6) 291 Hanukkah heroes (9) 353 Crimea, geographically (9) 430 Melville captain (4) 294 Capital with a spring tulip festival 354 Celebrity signature (9) 431 Spider-Man, to Peter Parker (5,3) (6) 356 Sited (7) 433 Big meal (5) 295 Frozen song (3,2,2) 358 Primitive artist ____ Moses (7) 435 Dumbledore and Snape, e.g. (7) 298 Fast way to stop (2,1,4) 360 Two-time loser to Dwight (5) 437 Windpipe branches (7) 300 Flowering shrub (6) DIVERSIONS, DECEMBER 2020 PAGE 9

DIVERSIONSCLUES - HOLIDAYSACROSS 2020 PAGE 4 CLUES ACROSS

506 Doris Day song that asks, “Will 566 Hans Christian Andersen, for one 438 – 594 we have rainbows day after day?” (4) 438 He portrayed 178-Across (4,6) (3,4,4) 567 Canadian _____ money (4) 441 Colourful, garrulous bird (4,3) 507 France’s longest river, about 231 km 569 Packs on the pounds (5,6) 443 _____-on-the-Lake (Shaw Festival longer than the Seine (5) 572 Doubter (7) city) (7) 508 Christmas gift to Della in an O. 575 Christmas tree debris (7) Henry story (5) 444 Canon in D composer (9) 576 Deadly snake (7) 509 “Snappy” Christmas table 447 Fine-tuned (8) 578 Holiday burner (4,3) decoration containing a joke and a 449 Home country of Linzertorte and 580 Anise-flavoured liqueur (7) Sachertorte (7) small toy (7) 581 Lhasa native (7) 450 Lazy present-wrapper’s choice (4,3) 510 Tailor’s need (6) 582 Miss Canada, e.g. (7) 451 Topic for Aristotle and Boole (5) 511 Christmas colour (5) 583 Palette stuff (5) 452 Cube’s 12 (5) 512 Christie crime solver (6) 584 Fossil resin (5) 454 Windshield device (5) 513 Christmas tree topper (5) 585 Ottoman rulers (7) 455 “I’m with _____” (T-shirt words 515 Act too quickly (4,3,3) 586 Suspect’s excuse (5) above an arrow) (6) 517 Days of Christmas total (6) 587 “Ten ___ a-leaping...” (5) 457 Baskervilles creature (5) 518 “Stop being so glum!” (5,2) 588 Mayonnaise ingredient (3,4) 459 Resentful, as of someone’s 519 Liberty Bell city (12) advantages (7) 520 Certain periodical (6) 589 North American name for 536- Down (7) 463 Twain hero Tom (6) 522 The Pillars of the Earth author (3,7) 590 Christmas pastry with a dried-fruit 464 Why dogs chase squirrels (8) 527 They’re not actually oases (7) filling (5,3) 466 Bronze, at the Olympics (5,5) 531 Scotland’s largest city (7) 591 Plant science for farmers (8) 467 Hard-to-navigate places (10) 532 The Rock of _____ (9) 592 Big hit for Carly Rae Jepsen (4,2,5) 470 Vancouver-born geneticist David 534 Popular battle royale video game 593 Horton or Babar (8) (6) (8) 594 Mont-Tremblant and others (3,7) 471 Caviar fish (8) 537 One more time (5) 472 Tournament setup (5,5) 538 Where Chennai is (5) 475 Mindless followers (5) 539 Garden centre purchase (7) 476 In seventh heaven (8) 542 Book after Leviticus (7) 477 Weaving apparatus (4) 543 Illuminated (3,2) 478 Enchanting (7) 544 Topple (5,4) 480 Snowy-day coaster (4) 546 Key employee? (6) 481 Ladder rung (4) 547 Jennifer’s role on Friends (6) 482 Tolkien ring carrier (5) 549 Off one’s rocker (4) 483 Always the villain, e.g. (8) 550 Movie with music conducted by 487 Marc Kielburger and Chrystia Stokowski (8) Freeland, academically (6,8) 552 Newborn (6) 493 For Your Eyes _____ (4) 554 Christmas carol with a separate 495 Latin phrase in Angels We Have verse for each title character (2,5,5) Heard on High (6,2,8,3) 558 Edible dwelling (11,5) 502 Event of Dec. 21, 2020 (8) 560 Ankle mishap (6) 504 Sci-fi film set on the moon Pandora 562 Star Alliance member (3,6) (6) 564 Constellation containing Polaris 505 Place to apply rouge (5) (4,5) DIVERSIONS, DECEMBER 2020 PAGE 10

CLUESDIVERSIONS - HOLIDAYSDOWN 2020 PAGE 5 CLUES DOWN

1 – 196 60 Bar mitzvah reading (5) 129 Unimpressive, like certain soda 61 TV host Winfrey (5) fountain drinks? (2,5,6) 1 _____ Park (dino film) (8) 62 A Christmas Story or Jingle All the 130 Like a brat (7,6) 2 Beatles song with the lyric “There’s a Way, for example (6) 131 Not one or the other (7) shadow hangin’ over me” (9) 64 Metal used in house siding (8) 132 Pageant crown (5) 3 Not married (5) 65 Quirky (9) 133 Fast talker (10) 4 Israel’s longest-serving prime 67 Genuine (9) 136 Purse (7) minister (9) 68 Warm fabric (4) 137 Apple-biters (8) 5 Trade blockade (7) 71 Mediocre writer (4) 138 They whistle while they work (7) 7 However (and the first six letters of 74 Paper tiger, perhaps (7) 139 Florence Nightingale’s moniker 10-Down) (6) 75 Intimidate by bullying (8) (3,4,4,3,4) 8 Choir voices (5) 78 Group of seven member? (7) 140 Skewed view (4) 9 Heart-related (7) 79 Country containing the island 141 Forearm bone (4) 10 Insensitivity (15) Roatan (8) 142 O Little _____ of Bethlehem (4) 11 Second wife of Henry VIII (4,6) 80 Full-school gathering (8) 147 Trilby hypnotist (8) 12 Aardvark’s meal (4) 82 One point of punctuation (11) 148 Police accompaniment (6) 13 S&P 500, e.g. (5,5) 84 Easy to read (7) 152 Singer Dion (6) 14 Creche trio (4) 86 Emerald City visitor (9) 154 Barista’s creation (8) 15 Coin-op washers locale (10) 88 Lunch-size pie (8,5) 158 Common 88-Down topping (9) 16 Word to a dog (4) 89 Christmas-saver played by Jim 160 Yours truly (6) 17 Twentieth-century English king who Varney (6) 161 Lithe (6) was never crowned (6,4) 90 Implore (7) 165 Meddler (9) 18 Food seller (6) 91 Makes good in life (4,3) 166 Corkboard insert (9) 19 Pupil protector (6) 92 David Hume specialty (10) 167 Rising prices (9) 20 Singer who recorded 1977’s Bat Out 94 British noblemen (5) of Hell (4,4) 168 The “B” of BMO or RBC (4) 95 Actress Jane once married to Tom 21 Wineglass part (4) 170 Reddish hair dye (5) Hayden (5) 22 Gangster (7) 173 Boxsters and 911s (8) 96 Trojan War epic (5) 23 Rink footwear (3,6) 174 Handel oratorio (7) 98 Actor Elba of The Wire (5) 24 The Ghost of Christmas Past, e.g. (6) 175 Artistic swimming, familiarly (7) 99 Christmas party, e.g. (11) 25 Roused from slumber (5) 176 Oasis locale (6) 100 Filberts (9) 26 It might involve 135-Across (7) 177 Sonata automaker (7) 101 Defoe’s castaway (6) 27 Bambi’s pal (7) 181 Laid-back answer to “Do you 103 Pilot’s place (7) mind?” (3,1,3) 28 Tirades (9) 105 A single time (4) 183 Funny bloopers at the end of a 30 Theatre ticket waster (2-4) 106 Lucy’s pal on old TV (5) comedy film (3,4) 31 Indoor cycling sessions (4,7) 108 First Canadian in space (7) 185 Weightlifter’s top (6,5) 32 Houston baseballer (5) 110 Came next (6) 186 Clue, e.g. (5,4) 33 Column heading on Santa’s list (7) 112 Gator’s cousin (4) 187 Exploding stars (5) 34 Sailing (4) 116 Decorative plaster (6) 189 Twelfth Night twin (5) 36 Odious (4) 121 Utopian (7) 191 Irritatingly knowledgeable, 39 Peach ____ (Fuzzy Navel ingredient) 125 Adults at a high school dance (10) perhaps (3,6,2,4) (8) 127 Part of TNT (5) 194 British Columbia neighbour (5) 40 Avian shelters (10) 128 Baltic republic (7) 196 Juno Awards topic (5) 58 Monastery head (5) DIVERSIONS, DECEMBER 2020 PAGE 11

CLUESDIVERSIONS - HOLIDAYSDOWN 2020 PAGE 6

CLUES DOWN

199 – 407 253 Pasta with a body part in its name 343 Gone With the Wind star (5) (5,8) 345 Threatening (7) 199 Fried Hanukkah treats (6) 256 Advocates for the planet (17) 346 Scented pouch (6) 201 On the way (2,5) 260 Letter-writing guide (7) 348 Reluctant (to) (6) 202 More palatable (7) 261 Letter before iota (5) 349 30% off, e.g. (8) 203 of 189-Down that means 262 Envelope name (9) 350 Mat word (7) “presto!” (5) 264 “Beaver” Cleaver’s real name (8) 352 Fundamental (11) 205 Noises Off, e.g. (5) 275 Kellogg’s cereal (7,6) 353 Appear suddenly (3,2) 208 More constricted (8) 276 Hydrogen, helium, _____, 355 In the thick of (6) 209 Opera highlight (4) beryllium, ... (7) 357 Butterfly named for a punctuation 212 Practical (2,3) 277 Salamanders (5) mark (5) 213 Japanese religion (6) 280 Mario’s video game brother (5) 359 Say Yes to the _____ (bridal store 214 Diplomat (8) 283 12-year-old, e.g. (5) reality series) (5) 220 Chaste (8) 284 Foolish fancy (7) 361 Madagascar primate (5) 222 Herb much used in Italian food (7) 286 Polite behaviour (7) 362 THC is its (psycho) active 224 Pep up (7) 288 Refrain from singing? (3,2,2) ingredient (8) 225 Last movement of a sonata, often 290 Personnel file (7) 365 Relaxed (5) (5) 292 Leave the Union (6) 368 Suit starter (9) 226 Slacker-skips-school film (6,7’1,3,3) 293 Squirm (6) 371 Close-combat martial art (7) 227 Bestow (6) 296 _____ cotta (5) 372 Attire in fine clothing (4,3) 228 The 2000 U.S. election had the 297 Actor in Julie & Julia (7,5) 373 The Friendly Ghost (6) highest one since 1900 (5,7) 299 Gallic goodbye (5) 379 Major mess-up (5) 229 Roman emperor between Tiberius 301 Garfield’s favourite dish (7) 380 Silver cup in a showcase (6) and Claudius (8) 303 Awareness of self (9) 384 No-frills (5) 232 Runway strutter (5) 305 System in which “apples and 386 Octopus’s Garden singer (5) 233 Second line of a Christmas carol pears” means “stairs” (7,5) 389 Convert to French, maybe (9) (3,5,2,3,4,3) 309 Take as one’s own (5) 390 Scotch and Drambuie cocktail (5,4) 234 Gillian’s role on The Crown (8) 311 Entrance hardware (8) 391 1922 Max Schreck vampire film (9) 235 Like much Boxing Day merchandise (2,4) 313 Illusionist and debunker who died 392 Disrespect (8) in October 2020 (3,7,5) 237 Keyed up (5) 393 Wandering, as a tribe (7) 315 Turn to confetti (3,2) 238 Zap, as leftovers (6) 394 Long periods of time (4) 318 Forearm bones (5) 239 Bus rider’s need, on some transit 395 Gear parts (5) systems (5,4) 320 They provoke reactions (7) 396 Lost it (4,9) 240 Piece in the Hasbro game 323 “...wrapped him in _____ clothes, 397 Listless (13) Battleship (9) and laid him...” (9) 398 Bloodhound’s trail (5) 241 1950s fad items (8,4) 324 Disguised way to go (9) 399 Polar light shows (7) 242 Muse of lyric poetry (5) 327 Was indecisive (8) 402 Endanger (7) 243 Advice to a nervous eulogist 331 Help session at university (8) 403 ____ is 20/20 (apt saying for the (5,4,3,5) 334 Gandhi, e.g. (5) year 2020) (9) 246 Took a shine to (5) 336 What a trebuchet is (8) 405 Gracefully agile (7) 248 University classes (8) 340 Crime-prevention program (13,5) 406 Room-sized early computer (5) 252 Jesus, Take the _____ (Carrie 341 Gangster nicknamed Scarface (2,6) 407 Bowling game (7) Underwood hit) (5) DIVERSIONS, DECEMBER 2020 PAGE 12

CLUES DOWN DIVERSIONS - HOLIDAYS 2020 PAGE 7

CLUES DOWN

409 – 579 478 Classic Ford pony car (7) 540 Start of Oliver Twist’s request (6,3) 479 Tetanus symptom (7) 541 More extensive (9) 409 Hopeless case (5) 482 Common airport amenity (4,4) 542 Creche scene (8) 412 Largest province by area (6) 484 Cheated at hide and seek (6) 545 Mind readers (8) 416 Presidential also-ran of 1988 and 485 Theatre area with hangers (8) 546 Window above a door (7) 2008 (3,5) 486 Hypnotist’s command (5) 548 Country surrounded by South 418 Marmalade ingredient (6,4) 487 The Witcher 3 or Mass Effect 2, e.g. Africa (7) 423 Bosc cousin (5) (4-7,4) 549 Tenor Placido (7) 424 Take it all back (6) 488 Point of view (7) 551 “God bless us every one!” speaker 425 Red-faced with embarrassment (8) 489 Statistic common to all points on a (4,3) 426 Cowardly person (7-3) contour line (9) 553 Flying toy caught by a dog (7) 427 The Mysterious _____ at Styles 490 Achieves a goal (8) 555 Tree for a bowler? (7) (’s debut novel) (6) 491 Baseball pentagon (4,5) 556 African trek (6) 432 Power-seizing leaders (8) 492 High-calorie (4) 557 Like Hamlet (6) 434 Vegan protein source (4) 494 Greek goddess of wisdom (6) 558 Washer setting (6) 435 Video chat device (6) 495 Reaps (7) 559 Join the military (6) 436 Glam 431-Across of David Bowie 496 Dark time (5) 561 “’Tis the _____ to be jolly...” (6) (5,8) 497 Marvel Comics mutants (1-3) 563 Japanese noodle soup (5) 439 Had high hopes (7) 498 Bored feeling (5) 565 Like some December weather (5) 440 _____ and Old Lace (7) 499 Swahili for “lion” (5) 568 Batik artist (4) 442 Safe and sound (6) 500 Start a volleyball game (5) 570 Actress Polley of Go (5) 445 Deal or No Deal host (5,6) 501 It has a News Feed for each user (8) 571 Dreidel winnings (4) 446 Lab tube with a stopcock (7) 503 “Fra-gee-lay” prop in A Christmas 573 Finals (5) 448 Fast-moving ball sport (3,4) Story (3,4) 574 Bot’s creation (4) 453 Montreal _____ (English-language 514 Our federal one is the Parliament 576 Fury (4) daily) (7) of Canada (11) 577 Canoeing locale (4) 456 1950s fashion item (arf!) (6,5) 516 Document of 1215 (5,5) 579 Part of your brain or ear (4) 458 Crystal Head Vodka co-founder 518 Most adorable (6) (3,7) 521 Campus VIP (4) 459 See eye to eye (4) 523 NDP tactic of 2011 (10) 460 Waterloo singers (4) 524 Steamed-milk drink (5) 461 Unseat (4) 525 Journey with a goal (10) 462 Incredible bargain (5) 526 Summer Olympics site of 2020 463 Wonder Woman or Elastigirl, e.g. (but now 2021) (5) (9) 527 1987 romantic comedy with Cher 465 Sun block? (5) (10) 468 Airbag activator (6) 528 Autumn garden tool (4) 469 Diver’s breathing tube (7) 529 Cluster (5) 470 Hans Christian Andersen character 530 December drop-in (5,5) (4,5) 533 Comment from Scrooge (3,6) 473 World capital called Krung Thep 535 Willy Wonka’s creator (5,4) by locals (7) 536 Cupid, e.g. (8) 474 Plush fabric (6) PAGE 13 PAGE 14 PAGE 15 PAGE 16 PAGE 17 PAGE 18 DIVERSIONS, DECEMBER 2020 PAGE 19

Giant crossword solutions

J O Y E U X N O E L S T R A Y C A T A A S M L S E G E A M E S C H A I R S W E L L T O D O I N K S T A I N U E N E M A H L A H N U N A V U T A D A P T E D R I S K Y E T O C P O O H I B O P S A R E S E W T A B A S C O T O R S O N T I O G U A W O C E R A S E O B E L I S K T S U N A M I S H I A T S U A T E A A E U O D U T E N S I L C H I M N E Y A L C O H O L T M D S R E T M T R H N R G S H E L D O N R Y A N G O S L I N G B E K D R E N I D L E F L A K I N N K E E P E R D R O P C L O T H S R Y G H A H O O K A H W I N T E R W O N D E R L A N D O C U A T R E I H W L T I N D I A N A J O N E S F A U C E T L B W N O O P V P A H O Y M A T E W H E Y R I B B O N C A N O P Y C A L H C B U L E M B R O I D E R M E R C I T O P C H E F M E A A E U S R Y O U T U B E C A R A T L E E R Y O O E A A A I U S O P E R S I S T S C Y P R E S S E S B A S T I N G P M X E O H E S N E T F L I X H I T C H H I K E R N C D C S K E R E E E G O H E C T I C A C K N O W L E D G E S A O L O D E A S E L D E R L Y A N G L E E P R I N C E S S E S S C A L E I O N C L T B N I N E U R O N I N N E R L I Z A R D T U U R A M S S E N E M S L A C Q U E R A G R E E T A B L E L D A C I E E A C H O R U S L I N E R O B O T O B S E S S K E R C H I E F O K M O M I A I L S E N S E A N D S E N S I B I L I T Y E A O D C N L U N T U A C H A S A P S S C R A T C H T I C K E T S I S O P E R N I B L U S T E R Y R E E D Y C O A L M E N U H O A R S E R O I E T A N E H S T E T G O O D I D E A U M A M I L O L O A C L C D C P V P A T I S S E R I E N I C E T I E S R O R I T T T R A N W I L L O W U N P R O M P T E D S T A M P E D E R S H C S O D I T L C O R N M E A L H E L I O S A B S T A I N I E I L B I Y R N U Y A H O O P U N J A B S A L S A I A E E O P U H N M O C K S D E P T H Z H I V A G O S T O P G A P E R R A O E D O W N C A S T D E R R I N G D O T R U F F L E Y E P Y Z N N N E N A P M A N A T E E B I N G C R O S B Y O S R A R T M L S A V I N G S E D U C A T E K N E E L E L L U N S O O S W E N T W I T H O H M S A G A S S I B E A D S I C E R N O L E F E S T I V E S C A R F S T A R V E A N T I A D A T U A R C N T T I N O T H E R W O R D S O R A T O R S N A O C A O R A E A T A X B R A C K E T S C R E E C H S T A M I N A L R T N A C T F H A R D S H I P L I V E R Y I D E S O F M A R C H I H E E I I E E K C O H E A R O F C I V I C L K A U A I O T L E I C G R I R T O M T H O M S O N C H A R L E S D I C K E N S N O E O O A D E L E S N A U T I C A L S U R V E I L L A N C E S L O T H O O A N Y E X E O R P I L S N E R N T L V S W E E T T E I H T E M G S W E N D O W R S L E E P Y H E A D S O H A R E I D R E F L E X I V E H L O S E T R A C K I N U I T C L E A R A S A B E L L E S I G M A N E E C T N T A L V E O L I E R G R E V E R B T H D E R O H T N R R A G L E T A L V E R D A N T R E S T O C K E S O R E T H U M B E O P E N E N D E D T R U D E A U F E L O N Y M I S R A E L I T F O K F A N C L U B U L Y E L L O W N T R S O R R I E A T Y P I C A L E R U D E B A B Y S I T T E R U U N D E R O A T H M A C C A B E E S W D E O T T A W A W H L E T I T G O E S R E N R O N A D I M E O N A Z A L E A I S E R E S P O N S E S H T R E A R V I E W E N E C K T I E R E C L A I M D G L A S T O F A L L A C U L S D E S A C I E R T H I R S T E H M E A R D R U M O A A L T R I V I A L S U D F R E S C A O E E T E N N E S S E E U H O N E Y D E W S I R E R R A N D S I M P E A C H E E V I C T I O N A A R A D I O H E A D H T T D A M A G E M R E X P L A I N U L W N S L E Q U A T O R E P A D A G I O I R E E D I T H P I A F A C C L I M A T E U T E M P E R A N C E B A C H U S E R E N I T Y I N N T K A E I M L O G J A M A N T A P I O C A Y D O S E X A L T E D E D I W A L I H A N D L E R P E N I N S U L A A A U T O G R A P H M L O C A T E D G R A N D M A V O A D L A I C I E E O C U O C D L K I B I T Z A S M E M E R I T I O U L N C R R E A R L Y E G L A S S S L I P P E R B R A I D P R E J U D I C E L I M P U L S I V E A N S U M A C I R I S H S E T T E R I O O M P H N C C L E P I U U E A S S E T N U A D L A S H O U T M C N T E S S A F U B A N J O O R L A N D O B L O O M P R O J E C T S N R E G A L N S I E U S T A R I N G C O N T E S T W E L L S F A R G O A U M I A N E I I K P I A N O R T I G H T E L D E S T R U O O O O E E A C U U R B A N L E G E N D A S T E R N K N O T H O L E F P A M I Q I N E L A P S E S N O M I N E E N U C L E A R W A R I T O T J I T G S U R O U G H E N O P E N Q U E S T I O N N T F T A S T T K N O H O S T I N D I G O C L A R A R O B U S T A R Y D E D E S A P A S T Y E M E N D S A H A B A L T E R E G O U E F E N R E L C F E A S T W I Z A R D S B R O N C H I L N R M I A D A O M A R S H A R I F B L U E J A Y C U A F N O E I I I E M N I A G A R A P A C H E L B E L A D J U S T E D S U R I N O A U S T R I A G I F T B A G L O G I C E D G E S T I T T O U L I A W I P E R S T U P I D H O U N D N H E I E U C G H A J E A L O U S S A W Y E R I N S T I N C T A I P E O E U A T H I R D P R I Z E L A B Y R I N T H S S U Z U K I B U T U I E S I A L S T U R G E O N R O U N D R O B I N N Y E V M S M N N E B B S H E E P E C S T A T I C L O O M C E R I D T A A M A G I C A L S L E D S T E P F R O D O T Y P E C A S T A E M T I A A U R H O D E S S C H O L A R S O N L Y U A O T L A A A R R W T E O L G L O R I A I N E X C E L S I S D E O P L U O E I F G K S O L S T I C E A V A T A R C H E E K Q U E S E R A S E R A H N I M N I E L O I R E C O M B S C R A C K E R T E K E H D T E E U K T E T H R E A D G R E E N M A R P L E N V C E K H C O O A N G E L J U M P T H E G U N T W E L V E C H E E R U P H R E H N U B V P H I L A D E L P H I A W E E K L Y N L E A A N S P I E U D O K E N F O L L E T T M I R A G E S L O T E L R B D G L A S G O W G I B R A L T A R F O R T N I T E O R R I A X O O A R A G A I N I N D I A T O P S O I L M I N A O I O E N U M B E R S L I T U P K N O C K D O W N Y O S T L O E P T Y P I S T R A C H E L D A F T F A N T A S I A I I T E Y N E U T I N F A N T W E T H R E E K I N G S R L S C H E O T L I T T G I N G E R B R E A D H O U S E S P R A I N R S A A G Y A I R C A N A D A U R S A M I N O R D A N E T I R E D N U I T D C G A I N S W E I G H T S K E P T I C N A T F R M O I I A D Y S V N E E D L E S R A T T L E R Y U L E L O G S A A E R E X H H S A M B U C A T I B E T A N P A G E A N T P A I N T E I T A I A U E O A A M B E R S U L T A N S A L I B I O E R R A U H G P I H I A T L O R D S E G G Y O L K C A R I B O U M E A O T C I M E C M I N C E P I E A G R O N O M Y C A L L M E M A Y B E T R E N E K E S E L E P H A N T S K I R E S O R T S