Guardian 25514

[greencj01]

43a Writer nominating tuberous flower? (4)
10d Some potato - suck one rudely coming in for food (7,4)

As always any help gratefully received!

[macgee]

hi greencj01,
these clues are more likely the ones without definition and is probably why they cant be solved without the theme as stand alone clues.
I have just picked it up and if I get to them I'll ping you back.

[rrc]

iris

[greencj01]

I think 10d is Chicken Soup

[greencj01]

And I think 43a is Dahl.

Araucaria is a sneeky one to be sure!

[Farrnorth]

Hi greencj01
How did you get 10d as chicken soup? Anyway it's given us who we're celebrating. However still stuck. Can you give me some ideas! Thanks

[postmanthe]

Farrnorth it looks like an anagram of " suck one" in chip chip being some potato

[Farrnorth]

Thanks postmanthe. Can you give me an idea or two as to how to proceed as even knowing who we are celebrating, I'm sitting here looking at a very bare grid! Thanks and Merry Christmas.

[rainblue]

Farnorth

From this thread we have 43A Dahl & 10D Chicken soup
Now go to the instructions, instigate a Spoonerism and you get the theme.
As for Christmas-- Bah Humbug
hope you find that helpful

[greencj01]

the theme is charles dickens - its the 200th anniversary of his birth next year - you did need access to lists of Dickens characters

[rrc]

i wondered about dickens first thing but nothing dickensian has lept out in he answers at the moment

[rainblue]

rrc
dickens yes
try 1a london paris location first (words) dickens novel

[Farrnorth]

Thanks all. I have listed Dickens characters under my 'favorites' as a handy reference. We plough steadily on!

[rrc]

The new Hamlyn Crossword dictionary is ace for Dickens characters

[torohombre]

Dahl (Roald)
Chicken Soup (anagram of suck one inside chip)

[torohombre]

Dahl (Roald)
Chicken Soup (Anagram of suck one inside 'chip')

[beedieman]

Thanks to all on this thread, it's given me a real boost after getting bogged down! Happy Holidays!!