Well, here we are at the end of 2016! As most of our readers know, we made writing the fourth book to our series a big priority this year and so had little time for other activities. However, we decided to dive into our basket of goodies to see what we could devise for Xmas. And here it is – A medieval crossword puzzle with entry into a prize draw for all readers who solve it!
We shall post as this year’s advent calendar, six clues daily and then four on the last days, until you have them all by December 24th. Then send us a scanned copy of your completed crossword puzzle for entry into the draw. The winner will receive a copy of one of our books, or if you have the current three, then we’ll reserve for you, one of the new release copies of book four ‘The Traitor’s Noose.’
We wish all our readers a very merry Christmas and hope you have some fun with this puzzle!
Lions and Lilies would like to thank Cathy T who manually designed the crossword – that is to say, without using one of those ‘crossword puzzle makers!’
Send a scanned copy of the completed puzzle to lionsandlilies@lionsandlilies.com
Competition closes on January, Friday 13th, 2017 and winner will be drawn on Catherine and Cecile’s birthday – January 17th!
(Please note :- Due to high postal costs in Australia, a print copy will be drawn for Australian Residents only – An EBook copy will be presented via Amazon to an overseas winner)
Good luck everyone!
DEC 1
ACROSS
1 Duke of Normandy (Born 1027 – Died 1087) (7,3,9)
7 Plague (5,5)
14 Famous meadow where a charter was signed by 17 Across
DOWN
1 Name of the struggle between two houses for the English throne in 1455 – 1487 (3,2,3,5)
2 Castle in England that houses one of the four remaining copies of 99 Across
3 One of the herbs of St John, brought indoors only at the 12 days of Christmas
DEC 2
ACROSS
15 Arch Bishop of Canterbury under Richard II and under Henry IV
16 Tender
17 Youngest son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine
DOWN
4 Author of the Canterbury Tales
5 Set of instructions laid down when entering a tournament
6 King of England (1189 – 1199) (7,3,9)
DEC 3
ACROSS
19 Victuals
20 Before you could joust you had to be able to do this well 21 King of France 1380 – 1422, suffered bouts of madness
DOWN
8 One of the royal houses involved in 1 Down
9 Danish King of England (1016) and first Norse ruler to be accepted as a Christian King
10 Usurped Richard II for the English throne. King of England until 1412 (5,2,11)
DEC 4
ACROSS
22 Thomas Becket was murdered in this cathedral
24 Not a she
26 This series of battles was known as The – – – (7,5,3)
DOWN
11 A dealer in textile fabrics
12 Point on the body where 44 Across was struck by an arrow at 21 Down
13 Vikings who settled in France became known as (6, 8)
DEC 5
ACROSS
27 Italian poet 1265 – 1321
31 A move made in fencing
32 A heraldic charge used by the vikings
DOWN
18 Nowadays part of Belgium, in the Middle Ages this city was the capital of Flanders
21 Famous English battle in 1066
23 The other royal house involved in 1 Down
DEC 6
ACROSS
33 Wheel indentation in the roads
34 First King of England with this name ascended the English throne in 1272
35 The first born of a king
DOWN
25 Count of Blois, King of England (1135 – 1154)
28 Son of Charles VII of France, grandson to 21 Across. King of France 1461 – 1483 (name + number)
29 French royal house that reigned from 1328 – 1589 replacing the Capetian line
DEC 7
ACROSS
37 Viking who colonised Greenland
38 Mischievous demon in folklore
42 An impression in a piece of wax
DOWN
30 16th Earl of Warwick known as ‘The Kingmaker’. His daughters married 90 Down and 82 Across
36 Won the English throne at the Battle of Towton. (name + number)
39 Archers on horseback were known as this type of infantry
DEC 8
ACROSS
44 Last Anglo Saxon King of England (1022 – 1066)
45 Birthplace of 87 Down was Domremy, a small village in the province of ——-
47 Farm animal
DOWN
40 To decompose
41 Daughter of 36 Down, married 106 Across in order to bring an end to 1 Down
42 Commoner
DEC 9
ACROSS
48 What every fighter wants to do
49 A combination of this and strength made a formidable fighter
50 To house 47 Across
DOWN
43 Not ‘out’
46 Sad song
52 The two sons of 36 Down became known as this when 82 Across took them into custody
DEC 10
ACROSS
51 Ammunition shot from bows (singular)
53 Luxury condiment used on the high table
57 Traditional name of Highland outlaw from Clan McGregor (1671 – 1734)
DOWN
54 Arable land sown with legumes or grass; pastureland
55 The King known as Longshanks
56 Region of France with Dijon as its capital. Sported many famous Dukes
DEC 11
ACROSS
58 Oneself
60 Ointment
61 Religious ceremonial act
DOWN
59 Royal house of England that took the throne from 82 Across – surname of 106 Across
63 This building in Paris has been an arsenal, fortress, a royal residence, prison and museum
67 Cease
DEC 12
ACROSS
62 Used widely in food preparation
63 Most battles were fought in order to possess more of this
64 To sharpen the blades of swords
DOWN
68 A circular band of metal
73 Lover of Queen Isabella of France, wife to Edward II (first name)
75 Type of bow
DEC 13
ACROSS
65 An early Scottish/English rank between Earl and Freeman who holds lands for the king
66 Archaic form of do
69 Wife of Henry Plantagenet
DOWN
77 Victor of 96 Down (name and number)
79 Singular
82 A heraldic device
DEC 14
ACROSS
70 118 Across is one of these
71 Archaic form of does
72 Plaid
DOWN
83 Gascon family name who supported 87 Down. It became the name of the political party opposing the English
84 King of France 1137 – 1180 and married Eleanor of Aquitaine (name + number)
85 Surname of one of Henry VIII’s wives
DEC 15
ACROSS
74 Birthplace of brother to the Black Prince. Father to 10 Down
76 English version of French word ‘non’
78 Peasants are usually (and sometimes wrongly) depicted covered in this
DOWN
86 Nickname of 17 Across because he received no major feoff from his father
87 17-year-old warrior who led the French against the English
88 Resin
DEC 16
ACROSS
80 The handle of a sword
81 Scottish version of ‘John’
82 Brother to 36 Down. Depicted by Shakespeare as a hunchback (Name + number)
DOWN
89 Royal house to ascend the English throne in 1154
90 Brother to 36 Down – George, Duke of ——– supposedly drowned in a vat of wine
93 King of Scotland 1406 – 1437 (name + number)
DEC 17
ACROSS
83 Two letter word used to indicate proximity
88 Conjunction word used to join words and phrases
89 First name of two of Henry VIII’s wives
DOWN
94 87 Down was known as ‘The Maid of ——-‘
96 Decisive battle in France in 1415
101 Surname of 73 Down
DEC 18
ACROSS
91 A tot of rum
92 Queen of England for a total of nine days in 1553 (4,4)
95 Alcoholic beverage from molasses
97 Cathedral which houses one of the remaining four copies of 99 Across
DOWN
107 The main body of a church
DEC 19
ACROSS
98 The metal mounting or trimming of a scabbard
99 Name of the charter signed in 14 Across (5,5)
100 To consume completely
101 Freely split in battle
DOWN
109 Thrusting weapon
DEC 20
ACROSS
102 A member of the Indo-European people – Irish, Gaelic, Welsh & Breton
103 Alcoholic beverage from grapes
104 Precious stone
105 An arrangement of order especially in battles
DOWN
110 Beheaded at the Tower of London on May 19, 1536 (surname)
DEC 21
ACROSS
106 Usurper of 82 Across, triumphant at the Battle of Bosworth (name + number)
108 Nowadays displayed in 63 Down
111 An inhabitant of the area south of Guyenne (Acquitaine). Musketeer D’Artagnan was one. (So are the Albrets and Armagnacs in Lions and Lilies)
DOWN
112 Colour of one of the flowers in 1 Down
DEC 22
ACROSS
115 Scottish pants
117 Skill in dealing with delicate situations
118 Port in Picardy on the French side of the Straits of Dover
119 Welsh boys name and name of grandfather to 106 Across
DOWN
114 Successful ammunition used at 96 Down
DEC 23
ACROSS
120 You, me, all of —
123 Surname of one of Henry VIII’s wives
124 Scottish dance
125 A law that protects oneself against defamation
DOWN
116 Wears a kilt
DEC 24
ACROSS
126 Small town in France where the English burned 87 Down at the stake
127 Crowned King of Scotland at Scone in 1306 (6,3,5)
128 Edward II suffered a humiliating defeat here by 127 Across in 1314
DOWN
121 A Viking drinking vessel
122 Bears the acorn
Lions and Lilies hope you have enjoyed our Christmas Medieval Crossword. We wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Lions and Lilies 