Spectator Christmas

[Mayflower3]

1d. Losing idle month in cloister, behind time for putting in columns(10)
36d. Seriously please German navy,labelled ruthless(10 hyphenated) Cold-
hard-
79d. Say, count carrots at one bad meal (10)

[mallyh]

do you have any letters placed please?

[mallyh]

36a hard bitten?

[Mampara]

1d tabulatory

[sedge47]

1d T a[m]bulatory

[sedge47]

79d aristocrat (anag carrots at I)

[Mayflower3]

Thank you all, only had the last N in 36d. - think this is beyond me but will give it a go!

[toalisi]

battling away and would love a big hint.

Remembering that clues may have a superfluous word--
90d After pardon oblige to come round (6) I think it starts with B

74d Away from home ,tenure on Dartmoor not secure initially
( 7 two words)

[roslyn251254]

90d yes it starts with B - defn is after
36d labelled is superfluous and yes it starts hard...
79d meal is superfluous count is the defn (not 1,2,3,4,5 ... the other count.) and it's an anagram

[toalisi]

Thanks VM Roslyn

[roslyn251254]

whoops!!... looking at the wrong bit!
74d it's french 2,5 defn ... away from home... secure is superfluous

[toalisi]

I was wondering!

Thanks

[Ruthrobin]

thanks Roslyn - I think that is an awful clue - the 2,5 solution doesn't mean that at all - you could well be there and 'at home'.

[Piffleworthy]

I couldn't agree more about 74d, if that is the answer. My last one, so driving me nuts! I can't parse it at all, can anyone give me a hint please?

[Piffleworthy]

Please ignore last mail, I have finally got it. What an obscure clue....