10
$\begingroup$

This puzzle is part of the Puzzling Stack Exchange Advent Calendar 2023. The accepted answer to this question will be awarded a bounty worth 50 reputation.

< Previous Door Next Door >

In the style of the author's Cryptic Family Reunion puzzles, this puzzle is a list of ten thematically related words, phrases or proper names, each clued cryptically, with the theme to be determined. Since the definition part of a cryptic clue would give away the theme, these cryptic clues use a family member to stand in for the definition part of the clue. As an additional solving help, the clues are listed with their answers in alphabetic order. I hope you enjoy!

  1. Mother turning over a new leaf, shaken after losing first-born's hat (6)
  2. Father's drinks, stirred with a bit of ice and tonic, providing a refreshment in goblet after discarding ice (11)
  3. Daddy-O rockin' a cover of Kuiama, First Movement of ELO with father (5,6)
  4. Father confused after changing direction in Danzig, or later (8)
  5. Father's mad; shoe broke on its introduction to foot (5-4)
  6. German Jews embraced the French man as father (10)
  7. Father flipped three Kalashnikovs, including two of old and a new (10)
  8. Look over, up, over, up, left, and left for father (7)
  9. Father Lee prone to convert (4,4)
  10. A stalker in disguise primarily shadows father (11)
Improve this question
$\endgroup$

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
7
+50
$\begingroup$

The family are all

international folklore figures who bring gifts at Christmas

In order

1. Mother turning over a new leaf, shaken after losing first-born's hat (6)
BEFANA (Italy) ((A N _EAF)*+B)<

2. Father's drinks, stirred with a bit of ice and tonic, providing a refreshment in goblet after discarding ice (11)
CHRISTKINDL (Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic) (DRINKS + I + T)* in CH(-A)L(-ICE)

3. Daddy-O rockin' a cover of Kuiama, First Movement of ELO with father (5,6)
DYADO KOLEDA (Bulgaria) ((DADDY O)* + A) covers K_ + (ELO)*

4. Father confused after changing direction in Danzig, or later (8)
GWIAZDOR (Poland) (DANZIG)* with W for N + OR

5. Father's mad; shoe broke on its introduction to foot (5-4)
HOTEI OSHO (Japan) HOT + (SHOE)* around I_ + _O

6. German Jews embraced the French man as father (10)
JULEMANDEN (Denmark) JUDEN around LE MAN

7. Father flipped three Kalashnikovs, including two of old and a new (10)
KANAKALOKA (Hawai'i) (AK AK AK around A N and OL_)<

8. Look over, up, over, up, left, and left for father (7)
KRAMPUS (Germany) MARK< + UP< + S (North, turn left, turn left is South)
As the above is wrong, my next best guess is MIKULAS (Hungary) SKIM< over U + L + A_

9. Father Lee prone to convert (4,4)
PERE NOEL (France) (LEE PRONE)*

10. A stalker in disguise primarily shadows father (11)
SINTERKLAAS (Netherlands) (A STALKER IN)* + S_

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
8
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Mostly correct! However I don't think your #8 wordplay works, since it needs to re-use at least one of the lefts at the end; at least, this was not the intended answer. Also the wordplay for #1 is incomplete, since it does not explain how rot13(gur O trgf gb gur ortvaavat bs gur nafjre). Also, the wordplay on #4 is also a bit more subtle than you've explained. $\endgroup$
    – Jeremy Dover
    Commented Dec 19, 2023 at 14:26
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ Could you include the clues in the answer, to save a bunch of scrolling? $\endgroup$
    – fljx
    Commented Dec 19, 2023 at 14:45
  • $\begingroup$ @fljx Done (+comment padding). $\endgroup$
    – Daniel S
    Commented Dec 19, 2023 at 15:23
  • $\begingroup$ @JeremyDover I've modified some of the answers, but am confused over #8: there are two lefts and I used them both once. $\endgroup$
    – Daniel S
    Commented Dec 19, 2023 at 15:25
  • $\begingroup$ OK, I think I understand where you're coming from, but a couple of objections: rot13(lbh erdhver ZNEX nf n flabalz sbe YBBX, juvpu frrzf grahbhf gb zr) and more importantly, rot13(gur bgure nafjref [naq gur vagraqrq urer] unir n pybfre pbaarpgvba guna lbh unir fgngrq, gung XENZCHF qbrf abg funer). The other corrections are what I had in mind...thank you! $\endgroup$
    – Jeremy Dover
    Commented Dec 19, 2023 at 15:38

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.