Seasons Greetings From Eclogue



_______________________________________________________________  (5 words)

The correct letters of misprints in clue definitions spell out a line from a song, whose title should be written below the grid. Solvers should highlight 16 across and six other (often obliquely) connected words in the grid to complete Eclogue’s greeting to solvers.  One of these, when considered in conjunction with 16 will confirm the song title.  Chambers is recommended, but does not give the verb form used in 17 down.

ACROSS

1.  Ground indicates glossy appearance of rock (9)
8.  Waif’s not right for staid firm (4)
10.  Kindle in small Scottish loch (4)
12.  Cast iron disc came from Japan (4)
13.  Parky? Temperature at least eight to start with (4)
14.  Nan’s supplement every kid enjoyed, early on (3)
15.  Speaker’s glitch in High School as hooter sounds? (4)
16.  See preamble (9)
19.  Unattractive bling for these times (4)
22.  Perhaps macron’s employer uses smooth characters periodically (3)
23.  With slow circling they carry off pavin (4)
24.  Take dogs to flipping heath (4)
25.  Wherein Aristotelean sagas were set down (4)
26.  Reamy short fank receded (4)
27.  Trailing, he’s racing gamely (9)
 DOWN

1.  Beaus toss off, lusting after flames (9)
2.  Dean played footer in bygone era (4)
3.  One stalls prey, returning it to grass (4)
4.  Unclued (9)
5.  XL cap enveloping entire head (4)
6.  Will Shakespeare covered the tasty side of life (4)
7.  Tripping about lusting over one little number (9)
9.  Vigil, perhaps, of religious significance for return of king in island (4)
11.  Pen holder retained in perpetuity (4)
17.  Dodgy eats may blow farts (4)
18.  Our racy tart in Missouri? (4)
19.  Sleet blowing wet to East (4)
20.  Lola created a hush in Spain   (4)
21.  Hill-top’s native returning to butte, say (4)
22.  Dwell in South Africa on low current (4)

To enter this competition send your solution, either as a diagram or a list of the answers, showing the highlighted entries and the title of the song to me at derekharrison@yahoo.com before the 8th January 2010. The winner, picked from the hat will receive a copy of Chambers Dictionary of Etymology which has been donated by the publishers.

For more information about Chambers publications go to the Chambers website