21 Dec 2013

Channel 4 News’s festive centenary crossword

To commemorate the appearance 100 years ago today of the first-ever crossword, we commissioned Apeman to produce a special one-off – and yes, festive – Channel 4 News puzzle.

100 years ago, on 21 December 1913, New York World published what is called a “word-cross” puzzle, compiled by Liverpool journalist Arthur Wynne. Wynne had been asked to invent a new game for the Sunday paper’s “fun” section.

To commemorate the event, we asked Apeman to produce a crossword that reflects the sort of stories covered by Channel 4 News – and the sort of journalists who cover the stories.

Click here for a printable .pdf version of the crossword.

The answers are published here: get the answers to our centenary crossword

Across
6 Correspondent’s serial manoeuvring (6)
7 Belonging to secret society – like correspondent? (7)
9/10 Red presenter, one recently recognised by the Pope (8,6)
11 Change tune after wildebeest runs back – will this save your skin? (7)
13 Perceived audio of part of play (4)
15 Correspondent’s no g-great flipping ape (6)
16 International peacekeepers steal, take ecstasy and strip (6)
18 Balls finished (4)
19 Sport correspondent on film (7)
21 Presenter lacking energy to investigate returning stiff (6)
23 Thomson familiarly starting riotous dispute in the near future (8)
25 National electoral register in America flattens out (7)
26 Electrician and correspondent – if you make them fly there’ll be trouble! (6)

Down
1 I have a go at correspondent (5)
2 Bull and bear struggling, one leaving – does he lack experience of flotation? (10)
3 Style found in Homeland (4)
4 Whistleblower with no hiding place finds anchor (4)
5 Just managed to get rid of editor with short farewell (7,2)
7 Correspondent whose nose is to the grindstone? (6)
8 Harmed by exposure, newspaper took action (9)
12 Rising Commanding Officer involved in leading horrific mass killing (9)
13 ‘He’s a trot or revolutionary’ – complaint any presenter dreads? (4,6)
14 Churchman held up by correspondent in Dutch broadcasting centre (9)
17 What viewers see – coming up, Saturdays on Four (6)
20 Crooked as a policy expert? (5)
22 Rugman turning up without male university mentor (presenter in centre?) (4)
24 Smith endlessly re-edited film (4)