The questions
1 What festive feature was denounced as a “social evil” in an 1877 letter to the Times?
2 Constantine XI Palaeologus was the last ruler of what?
3 As in the Twelve Days of Christmas, what is a “colly” bird?
4 Which drink is named after a Resistance hero, later mayor of Dijon?
5 What should have been prepared on 23 November this year?
6 Where did “mud angels” save flood-damaged art in 1966?
7 Who has sung on three versions of Do They Know It’s Christmas?
8 Which unexpected bestseller is set at the University of Missouri?
What links:
9 England (10); Wales (3); Scotland (2); Northern Ireland (none)?
10 Sviatoslav, pianist; Charles, seismologist; Gerhard, painter; Hans, conductor?
11 Josh Earnest; Jay Carney; Robert Gibbs?
12 Carlisle United; Grimsby Town; Workington; Huddersfield Town; Liverpool?
13 Farsi; Urdu; Hebrew; Arabic?
14 Bombarde; Flageolet; Gedeckt; Trumpet; Twenty-Second; Vox Humana?
15 Walter the Softy; Donald Duck; Hercule Poirot; second, third and 11th incarnations of the Doctor?
The answers
1 Christmas cards.
2 Byzantine Empire.
3 Black as coal dust.
4 Kir royale (Canon Félix Kir).
5 Christmas pudding (stir-up Sunday).
6 Florence.
7 Bono.
8 Stoner by John Williams.
9 National parks in the UK.
10 Surnamed Richter.
11 White House press secretaries under Obama.
12 Teams managed by Bill Shankly.
13 Languages reading right to left.
14 Types of organ stop.
15 Fictional bow tie wearers.
