The Guardian Cryptic Answers - Thursday, 24th December 2015 There are 14 across clues and 16 down clues for the The Guardian Cryptic crossword on Thursday, 24th December 2015. View the answers below.. Also try..All The Guardian Cryptic AnswersAll PublicationsThe AnswersNumber# Clue Answer AAcross 1: Smooth wrapping paper, easily damaged?FRAGILEAAcross 5: Sprout inspiring celebrated birdBUSTARDAAcross 9: Oliver Twist, perhaps, in the Queen's Speech on a regular basisOFTENAAcross 10: British dependency no good for flamingoes in a stormISLE OF MANAAcross 11: Spot recalled into which hefty eater takes a great deal — that's behind the tongueEPIGLOTTISAAcross 12: Popular daily, vacuous newspaper in short?INDYAAcross 14: Christmas crackers to grip on, those for Elizabeth?MONARCHISTSAAcross 18: Those making rowdy brawls from fairy lights, perhaps?SPOONERISMSAAcross 21: Crackers — what are they for?NUTSAAcross 22: Censor wicked and loathsome extremists heading for Richmond in US state capitalBOWDLERISEAAcross 25: Hasty devil, posh as it happens, scoffing last of vol-au-ventsIMPULSIVEAAcross 26: Tax contributing to development, it helpsTITHEAAcross 27: Christmas present in obscurityNOWHEREAAcross 28: Little time on Whale IslandMINORCADDown 1: Those in the red hats initially stuffing turkey in retail establishmentFLOWERDDown 2: A Norway spruce in part of Northern IrelandANTRIMDDown 3: Man in life, flawed genius primarily, as writerIAN FLEMINGDDown 4: Cardinal virtue finally turning up, little time to liveEXISTDDown 5: Game all I cooked in partridges etcBILLIARDSDDown 6: See 1SHOPDDown 7: Advise against a plate of food Boxing DayADMONISHDDown 8: Foppish behaviour in mind say, dude's first to gyrateDANDYISMDDown 13: Box clever in the end, entering school as writerCHESTERTONDDown 15: Make dull creations livelyNARCOTISEDDown 16: A newspaper I love in outskirts of Chilean capitalASUNCIONDDown 17: What's up high, punched by old boxer?SOUTHPAWDDown 19: Scrooge investing capital in theory — that's how he's knownMISTERDDown 20: Wilder verbal attack starts in European cityGENEVADDown 23: Ultimately, reverie in short?DREAMDDown 24: Down which Father Christmas sped, did you say?FLUE