Clues
Across
- 1 Malicious and frightfully up itself (8)
- 7 Notice of business that may be wound up (9)
- 8 Coward, for one, often heard at Christmas (4)
- 9 Bring up hem around pocket at first (4)
- 11 It’s poorer when repositioned at the back (9)
- 12 Peace and good fortune, banishing depression (8)
Down
- 2 Academic “like old King Edward,” in favour, not against (9)
- 3 Inhale some tomato ketchup (4)
- 4 Lingering impression of a journey (9)
- 5 Skywalker: “friendly but unenthusiastic” (8)
- 6 Shots taken drunkenly? (8)
- 10 Low average (4)
Setter’s notes
I fear this one may be more difficult than most, so commiserations if you get snagged on my horribly mean and spiteful clues. I’ll try to justify my worst transgressions below.
Across
- 1 An anagram (“frightfully”) of UP ITSELF — SPITEFUL.
- 7 “Notice” = CLOCK + “business” = WORK — CLOCKWORK, which may be wound up.
- 8 Double definition: NOËL Coward, and a word often heard at Christmas.
- 9 “Hem” = SEW, around the first letter of “Pocket” — SPEW, “bring up”.
- 11 An anagram (“repositioned”) of IT’S POORER — POSTERIOR, the back.
- 12 “Good fortune” = SERENDIPITY, banishing “depression” = DIP — SERENITY, “peace”.
Down
- 2 “Like old King Edward” = CONFESSOR, with “in favour” = PRO in place of “against” = CON — PROFESSOR, an academic.
- 3 Hidden in “tomaTO KEtchup” — TOKE, “inhale”.
- 4 Cryptic definition: the lingering impression of a journey — FOOTPRINT.
- 5 “Skywalker” = LUKE + “friendly” = WARM — LUKEWARM, “unenthusiastic”.
- 6 A drunken pronunciation of “shots” = SNAPS, with the whole clue as the definition (&lit) — SCHNAPPS.
- 10 Double definition: low (as in mean-spirited) and average — MEAN.
Special apologies for 2 Down — although I originally planned to clue it even more obtusely: “Old King Edward switching sides? That’s academic (9)".