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This puzzle is part of the Puzzling Stack Exchange Advent Calendar 2024. The accepted answer to this question will be awarded a bounty worth 50 reputation.

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What five words come next?

15x15 crossword grid

Solve on PuzzleMe

Across
1. He grows this arugula (rocket) primarily in garden plot (5)
4. He rides this, having broken his leg (6)
8. Fight to spend time at resort (3)
10. Keep talking of payback? (3)
11. Culture of yore almost entirely trapped in ice returning (1. 4)
13. Allocate parcel of land with great deal of straw to Destiny, Abraham's nephew (3)
14. He says "take off clothes to get to me"? (3, abbr)
16. Maybe 24 or 31 envied 39? (3)
18. A bit of fun in the end (3)
19. ???
24. Did Carol recall ingredients in lasagna sauce? (4)
25. Burro bucked wildly, tossing aside ball and bath toy (6 4)
28. Major inconvenience: front porch destroyed with a boom (10)
32. Weber, per Henry, can be found near large menorah (4)
33. ????????
41. Sort of bus! (3, abbr)
42. Top piece of golf equipment (3)
43. Since its discovery in the 19th century, it has been frequently analyzed and reverse-engineered (3, abbr)
44. Forum administrator with half-hearted disposition (3)
45. A long time chasing juicifer's reputation (5)
46. Father-daughter dance beginning to get a little aggressive (3)
47. Cover letter beginning with name (3)
48. He eats this piece of Cadbury egg with Tulsa native, perhaps (6)
49. He feels like this character in the Christmas story, I've heard (5)

Down
1. Body of water; one primarily found near heart of South! (5)
2. Excited to be among stampeders (5)
3. According to an incorrect report, hijacker Cooper kidnapped small, nerdy individual (5)
5. Spinning a yarn on one's back (5)
6. On Instagram, John is dwelling near the North Pole (5)
7. Ask extremists in Tuvalu to fill joint (3 2)
8. Leaders to spend time in rancid prison (4)
9. Part of diet of Utsunomiya! (4)
12. Under the influence, the man became quite flexible (5)
15. Disturbing AI salmon art (4 4)
17. Fur coats from Vienna inkeeper (4)
20. Song for one in regressive nation (7)
21. Brother raised to become a global phenomenon? (3)
22. Level with Flipper, maybe needing pair of popular reindeer? (7)
23. Rare meeting between international organization and American rapper (8)
26. Tough to get excluded ... that's awful! (3)
27. Musicians wrapping up early, leaving bar (3)
29. Strict doctrine lacking fun at its core - it'll let you see things in a different light? (5)
30. It's used to propel a vessel that floats on air, regularly (3)
31. More trains from France travel towards England (4)
33. 28 following Colorado jokester (5)
34. Provide original characters for film (5)
35. 34 game character sounds like 33 down Costello, for example (5)
36. A website where you can buy or sell everything ... to a degree, says Spooner (4)
37. 18th backup squad in hot water? (5)
38. Raced around tree (5)
39. Wowed singer Geddy by performing in a strange manner (5)
40. Maybe Jack initially cut 50% fat (4)

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1 Answer 1

12
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The words are

... there is a Santa Claus per the famous editorial in "The Sun" newspaper (hence the title).

A grid

enter image description here

... and answers

Across
1. He grows this arugula (rocket) primarily in garden plot (5) = BE(A_ R_)D
4. He rides this, having broken his leg (6) = SLEIGH = HIS LEG*
8. Fight to spend time at resort (3) SPA(-T)
10. Keep talking of payback? (3) PAY<
11. Culture of yore almost entirely trapped in ice returning (1. 4) E COLI = OL(-D) in ICE<
13. Allocate parcel of land with great deal of straw to Destiny, Abraham's nephew (3) LOT quintuple def
14. He says "take off clothes to get to me"? (3, abbr) (-S)IMO(-N)
16. Maybe 24 or 31 envied 39? (3) E_V_E_
18. A bit of fun in the end (3) F_ + IN
19. ???
24. Did Carol recall ingredients in lasagna sauce? (4) _S ANG_<
25. Burro bucked wildly, tossing aside ball and bath toy (6 4) RUBBER DUCK = BURR(-O) BUCKED*
28. Major inconvenience: front porch destroyed with a boom (10) M + I_ + CROPH* + ONE
32. Weber, per Henry, can be found near large menorah (4) L + AMP
33. ????????
41. Sort of bus! (3, abbr) USB* &lit
42. Top piece of golf equipment (3) TEE ddef
43. Since its discovery in the 19th century, it has been frequently analyzed and reverse-engineered (3, abbr) DNA<
44. Forum administrator with half-hearted disposition (3) MO(-O)D
45. A long time chasing juicifer's reputation (5) I'M + AGE
46. Father-daughter dance beginning to get a little aggressive (3) D + A + D
47. Cover letter beginning with name (3) L_ + ID
48. He eats this piece of Cadbury egg with Tulsa native, perhaps (6) = C_ + O + OKIE
49. He feels like this character in the Christmas story, I've heard (5) MERRY = "MARY"

Down
1. Body of water; one primarily found near heart of South! (5) BAY + O_ + _U_ &lit
2. Excited to be among stampeders (5) _AMPED_
3. According to an incorrect report, hijacker Cooper kidnapped small, nerdy individual (5) D(WEE)B
5. Spinning a yarn on one's back (5) LYING ddef
6. On Instagram, John is dwelling near the North Pole (5) IG + LOO
7. Ask extremists in Tuvalu to fill joint (3 2) HI(T_U)P
8. Leaders to spend time in rancid prison (4) S_ T_ I_ R_
9. Part of diet of Utsunomiya! (4) _TOFU_ &lit
12. Under the influence, the man became quite flexible (5) LIT + HE
15. Disturbing AI salmon art (4 4) MONA LISA*
17. Fur coats from Vienna inkeeper (4) V_A + I_R
20. Song for one in regressive nation (7) NIGERIA=AIR + E.G. + IN<
21. Brother raised to become a global phenomenon? (3) ORB<
22. Level with Flipper, maybe needing pair of popular reindeer? RU(-IN) DOLPH(-IN) (7)
23. Rare meeting between international organization and American rapper (8) UN +COMMON
26. Tough to get excluded ... that's awful! (3) (-TO)UGH
27. Musicians wrapping up early, leaving bar (3) BAN(-D)
29. Strict doctrine lacking fun at its core - it'll let you see things in a different light? (5) P(-_U_)RISM
30. It's used to propel a vessel that floats on air, regularly (3) O_A_R
31. More trains from France travel towards England (4) ELS + E
33. 28 following Colorado jokester (5) CO + MIC
34. Provide original characters for film (5) _VIDE O_
35. 34 game character sounds like 33 down Costello, for example (5) LUIGI = "LOU E.G."
36. A website where you can buy or sell everything ... to a degree, says Spooner (4) EBAY = "B.A."
37. 18th backup squad in hot water? (5) S TEAM
38. Raced around tree (5) CEDAR*
39. Wowed singer Geddy by performing in a strange manner (5) ODDLY = "AWED LEE"
40. Maybe Jack initially cut 50% fat (4) (C->L)ARD

The unnamed "He" in the clues is of course

Santa

The unclued entries being

ROUNDABOUT GROUP = YES

and

CAVALIERS SCHOOL = VIRGINIA

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2
  • $\begingroup$ Nice answer :) You may want to include a link for the uninitiated, to help explain your conclusion... $\endgroup$
    – Stiv
    Commented 15 hours ago
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @user39583: Many thanks! I started doing this with a friend who left part way through and I had to reverse engineer a couple. $\endgroup$
    – Daniel S
    Commented 15 hours ago

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