Christmas Puzzle 2025
This year's annual Charity Christmas Puzzle has now been posted, and is available to download.
This, the 35th annual Puzzle that Gordon Gray has set, has a theme designed to help completion and will appeal to people who enjoy doing Crossword puzzles, such as in the Daily Telegraph (though it is not a Crossword puzzle). Puzzlers have plenty of time to find the answers and Puzzles should be returned, with donation, by 25 January 2026.
Gordon has posted Puzzles to those on distribution list, so these should be received in the next few days. Anyone else who would like a copy of the Puzzle can access it from the web at www.christmaspuzzle.uk. Alternatively puzzles can be collected from St Mary's Eaton Bray.
All the money you donate, except for the prize-money, will go to charity.
Any corrections will be posted to the blog and to the corrections page.
December 8, 2025 | Permalink | Comment
Reader Comments
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December 8, 2025
,ChrisBob says:2 questions. Line 7, should it say "or" after fertilisers? Also, Line 11, should that be one less letter on the third word? Cheers
December 9, 2025
,Gerry says:Interesting - my brain had read that as "or" anyway! No to the other question. At last a theme we know and not a TV programme or book we have never heard of. Thank you Gordon - Day 1 has been fun and only 2 reference books and no internet so far :-)
December 9, 2025
,Ian Hilton says:Thanks for another intriguing puzzle Gordon. Very saucy this year when I entered naked ladies into Google and got lots of options we won't discuss in genteel public! Also is there one too many dashes for 6C?
December 9, 2025
,Keith Anderson Simmonds says:An exciting puzzle this year, but I'm somewhat at a loss interpreting "The Puzzle's title provides a clue to the starting letters." Having a good stare at this part of it! Keith
December 9, 2025
,Keith Anderson Simmonds says:I fully understand the part of the preamble concerning the starting letters now. Pretty pleasant solving!
December 10, 2025
,Diana Platts says:Brilliant puzzle, as always. However, having almost finished it, I've got 17, not 16 plants. Also, I'm a bit concerned about unconventional spelling in 6c, syntax in 9b, and baffled by 23b
December 10, 2025
,Gordon Gray says:Yes ChrisBob "fertilisers or pesticides"!
December 10, 2025
,janet pointon says:I also have 17 plants, not 16
December 11, 2025
,Gordon Gray says:Diana / Janet. You both have the correct number of plants.
December 12, 2025
,Rik Edwards says:Brilliant quiz as ever, thanks Gordon. But I'm also wondering if there are too many dashes on 6c and 9b?
December 12, 2025
,Gordon Gray says:9b is OK, but I agree wrt to 6c.It would have better been clued 2 dashes BIT 3 dashes.
Update 15-Dec: The downloadable Puzzle (including the emailed version) has been updated to reflect these corrections.
January 2, 2026
,Gordon Gray says:I believe that 31A is in need of amendment.
Please replace: 'blend' by 'mix-up' and: ' _ _ _ TUR _' 'by ' _ _ _ FUS _ _ _'
Update 10-Jan: The downloadable Puzzle (including the emailed version) has been updated to reflect these corrections.
January 3, 2026
,Steve Baines says:Nobody else has mentioned it so I'm most likely barking up the wrong tree but should 5a have an extra dash at the end?
January 4, 2026
,Diana Platts says:5a looks fine to me.
January 5, 2026
,janet pointon says:Like Diana Platts we are baffled by 23b
January 5, 2026
,janet pointon says:Like Diana Platts we are baffled by 23b.
January 8, 2026
,Puzzler says:Gordon, will you be adding amended 31A to the corrections page and updating the downloadable version, or are we to amend our existing copies? Just so we know what's expected. Many thanks.
January 10, 2026
,Gordon Gray says:The downloadable Puzzle (including the emailed version) has been updated to reflect the above corrections to question 31.
January 11, 2026
,Debby Horsman says:We didn't download till after 4th January but the version that we received had the original clue for 31a and the answer was still _ _ _ T U R _ We only checked for corrections last night (silly us!) and were delighted to see the changes to 31a about which we had been very uncertain but when I tried to download a correct page just now, it was still the original so apologies in advance for a messy patch on our entry. Wonderful as ever, we have had such fun. Thank you
January 12, 2026
,Peter Reed says:Great puzzle, but are the last two words of 37 redundant?
January 12, 2026
,Steve Baines says:I was wondering the same as Peter on 37. Ok now with 5a but struggling with 38c now. :-)
January 13, 2026
,Roger Dollman says:Me too - also struggling with 38c. 23b is Ok (although obscure!)
January 13, 2026
,Roger Dollman says:Me too - also struggling with 38c. 23b is Ok (although obscure!)
January 13, 2026
,Di Borthwick says:I’m also struggling with 38c. Have I missed a correction for this one?
January 13, 2026
,Susan says:Our first time for this puzzle however really enjoying working things out, albeit late to the starting block having recently moved to the area. It is reassuring to see that others struggle especially 38c. We haven't even started on the plants yet!
January 16, 2026
,Helen says:Also struggling with 38c and thank goodness 31a has changed! Not sure about my 34c answer either. Still a great puzzle though.
January 16, 2026
,John Bland says:Please confirm answer 35c should have 4 letters before MEI, as only 3 dashes shown.
January 17, 2026
,Pauline Ledger says:Have already submitted the puzzle with a 'guess' for 31a as no correction had been shown at that time. What a pity the correction was not found earlier as that would have made much more sense and we could have entered the correct answer.
January 17, 2026
,Linda Cowley says:Also struggling with 38c, otherwise as usual a vey challenging but enjoyable puzzle.
January 17, 2026
,Linda Cowley says:Also struggling with 38c, otherwise as usual a vey challenging but enjoyable puzzle.
January 17, 2026
,Gordon Gray says:I have made no deductions against e.g. 31A where the error is mine. Gordon
January 18, 2026
,John Sharp says:I would be very glad to make my Charitable Donation by Bank Transfer, but cannot find the required Bank Account details. John S.
January 22, 2026
,Robert Pressling says:I have tried contacting you through the given e mail address but not sure if you have received it. I think there may be a typo with my score for this year.
January 23, 2026
,Pam Davies says:First time puzzler here: it was a joy to do battle with it. We sent in our answers having found a 31a which we could just about make sense of, before seeing this amendment. 38b was one of our last solutions, along with 6b.
January 23, 2026
,Pam Davies says:Oops, meant 38c!