The Times - Cryptic - Times Cryptic 26603 - December 23, 2016

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Clues Answers
Am lifting well-boring plant, ancient garden annual MARIGOLD
Appoint a second operator, perhaps ASSIGN
Bento full — with this in it? TOFU
Card game Jack's leading — no pressure JOKER
Chap in great trouble having to catch European bird PAINTEDSNIPE
Critical speech revealed by microphone below boom? POLEMIC
Damage to include a length of old coastal defence MARTELLO
Do wrong breaking into reserved wine SHERRY
Excellent price reported for imported ice cream KULFI
First light never begins for blind AWNING
French lake — it has fish taken all over for scientific examination PRACTICAL
Giordano's composed in a rather overblown style GRANDIOSO
Hard cutting tragic role for operetta composer LEHAR
Hearing sound of bell on puss CATCHING
Clues Answers
Hymn referred to as old, end-of-the-century? HUNDREDTH
Levy on departures, hence taxi and train are badly used INHERITANCETAX
Make figures half responsible for blocking street SCULPT
Mother alarmed when shunted about in jam MARMALADE
Number of runs acquired by the English THREE
Ought the Queen note somebody on which her sword rests? SHOULDERBONE
Reckon wrongly and nearly omit to come to a conclusion MISJUDGE
Rubbish cut by editor — he's beginning to be very good REDHOT
Sadist's outside with strong desire for pain STITCH
Son gets on with everything except gym kit WALLBARS
Standard choice of starters on naff menu NORM
Throw away fish savoury item DUMPLING
Unproductive anger follows set going wrong STERILE
Where the Pope may be wrong as to Golden Calf? CASTELGANDOLFO