It’s amazing out of the thousands of possible words that can fit into a grid, how often words could end up being related in some way. It’s not uncommon to have two words that are synonymous or a few words that have a medical bent etc. Of course, it’s up to the setter what words are chosen, but still, being able to create a mini-theme without really trying must be statistically difficult but it often doesn’t seem that way. It also happens sometimes that words are included that seem harmless in isolation, but when combined with others in the grid, it may appear that the setter is making some kind of statement. In a recent Australian Financial Review crossword for Christmas, I finished the grid (complete with a colourful Christmas tree inset), filled in the words and wrote the clues. In some regards doing this is routine for me, or I may be working on a number of puzzles at once, and I can forget about context. Such was the case here. I exported the finished grid, and while eying it over, I noticed I had included a five-letter religion right in the middle of the crossword at the heart of the Christmas tree. It’s just a puzzle and including that religion doesn’t mean anything, but its positioning might make people think otherwise. I quickly rearranged a few words, clued them and sent it off. No need to cause an issue if it can be avoided.
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | SUBEDIT | |
| Work on a newspaper’s legal prosecution in bed? Just the opposite! (7) | BED inside SUIT | |
| 5 | HUBRIS | |
| Centre of activity is after right feeling of superiority (6) | HUB + (IS after R) | |
| 9 | MELEE | |
| Five of nine elements brought back confused group (5) | ninE ELEMents reversed | |
| 10 | REPROBATE | |
| Discount split up by professional villain (9) | PRO inside REBATE | |
| 11 | SPINIFEX | |
| Short trip provided by old friend’s grass (8) | SPIN + IF + EX | |
| 12 | INSERT | |
| Conclusion of press reported in dull supplement (6) | PRES(S) inside INERT | |
| 14 | BRIGHT AND EARLY | |
| Outlaw claiming right very much in good time (6,3,5) | BAN outside RIGHT + DEARLY | |
| 16 | DISCOUNTENANCE | |
| Cold treatment continues awkwardly in social event (14) | Anagram of CONTINUES inside DANCE | |
| 20 | SHANDY | |
| Light beer is finally readily available (6) | I(S) + HANDY | |
| 22 | DECREPIT | |
| Judicial order, mostly implemented by mine, is weak (8) | (DECRE)E + PIT | |
| 24 | UNSKILLED | |
| Inexperienced units, losing it, committed murder (9) | (UNITS minus IT) + KILLED | |
| 25 | SAUTE | |
| Cook ram’s heart in fresh suet (5) | R(A)M inside anagram of SUET | |
| 26 | PATENT | |
| One leaving doctor’s charge is glaring (6) | PATIENT minus I | |
| 27 | DESCENT | |
| Pole secured by reasonable line (7) | S inside DECENT | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | SAMOSA | |
| Savoury starter of salmon served in Polynesian islands (6) | (S)ALMON inside SAMOA | |
| 2 | BILLIARDS | |
| Ball game’s advertisement is strung across a road (9) | BILL + [IS outside (A + RD)] | |
| 3 | DIETING | |
| Eating specific foods can start to grate after decline (7) | [TIN + (G)RATE] after DIE | |
| 4 | TORMENTING | |
| To many primarily involved in leasing, it’s annoying (10) | TO + [(M)ANY inside RENTING] | |
| 5 | HYPE | |
| Stuff screened by flashy people? (4) | flasHY PEople | |
| 6 | BROWNIE | |
| Individual tucking into cheese cake (7) | OWN inside BRIE | |
| 7 | IRATE | |
| Enraged leader not supporting plagiarist (5) | PIRATE minus P | |
| 8 | GENTLY | |
| Cultured man and lady vacated in a peaceful manner? (6) | GENT + L(AD)Y | |
| 13 | UNDEFENDED | |
| Euros invested in dodgy fund finished without protection (10) | E inside anagram of FUND + ENDED | |
| 15 | RECAPTURE | |
| Care organised time in sterile recovery (9) | Anagram of CARE + (T inside PURE) | |
| 16 | DISCUS | |
| Talk about not completing an Olympic event (6) | (DISCUS)S | |
| 17 | OLD-TIME | |
| One travelling in restored Model-T is …? (3-4) | I inside anagram of MODEL T | |
| 18 | ARRESTS | |
| Crook superstar, not bearing up, has a heart attack (7) | Anagram of SUPERSTAR minus UP | |
| 19 | AT BEST | |
| “B” should be scored in a quiz ideally (2,4) | B inside (A + TEST) | |
| 21 | AT SEA | |
| Dosage of diplomat’s eardrops may be mixed up (2,3) | diplomATS EArdrops | |
| 23 | GLUT | |
| Powerful boat keeled over carrying large surplus (4) | TUG reversed outside L |
