The Telegraph - CRYPTIC - December 20 2019 Crossword Puzzle Solutions

 The Telegraph - CRYPTIC CROSSWORD NO: 29,239 - Dec 20 2019  

Clues	Answers
A bit of carol making one hostile	AVERSE
Almost 12? Sleep	DOZE
Animals in police cars	PANDAS
Being terribly sedate, gets leg pulled	TEASED
Biscuits? They're exceptionally good	CRACKERS
Christmas spruce hiding one little girl (six)	NATIVITY
Cleric has played lyre in merry-making	REVELRY
Cupid's companion, one in a hurry	DASHER
Decorator with fluid in recreation facility	ICERINK
Dreadful woe -- I'll hide away	LIELOW
Encourages good health!	CHEERS
English doctor hurried to be given a welcome	EMBRACED
Explored something growing maybe, having crossed bridge	SEARCHED
Extremely short opening for drink	VERMOUTH
Fruit one of five children brought to church	QUINCE
Gangster, old-fashioned fellow in hidden part of room?	ALCOVE
Getting better sports ground finished before end of January	RECOVERY
Girl to wed, having given heart away	MARY
Home dull, nothing right? I may help blow up balloons	INFLATOR
Man remembered on Boxing Day taking walk with female	STEPHEN
Man to joke, having held record	JOSEPH
Maybe watch moth consuming material?	REPEATER
No more beer provided by business person	EXPORTER
Part of forest re-examined -- something growing therein?	TREE
Party people in charitable activity	DONATION
Person dumping waste who may help 29	TIPPER
Peter's quaking outside front of castle -- there's something spooky	SPECTRE
Requirement with second half of tale -- one mustn't lose the thread	NEEDLE
Server tries to move round -- was seen going outside	WAITRESS
Sirs here supply preprandial tipples?	SHERRIES
What's entertained us -- dame cavorting	AMUSED
Wise man maybe in picture I brought out	MAGE