| NUTCRACKERS | Implement(s) for breaking the hard cases of hazels, Brazils and the like, and most often used at this time of year! (11) |
| NATURALFIBRES | Cashmere, mohair and the like and puzzle theme hint |
| PEREGRINE | Reaching speeds of up to 200mph when stooping and most often found above sea cliffs, the UK's biggest species of falcon and the world's fastest bird (9) |
| ALTERNATIVEROCK | Jangle pop and the like, and a hint to a hidden feature of 17-, 30-, 46- and 63-Across |
| AUBRIETA | Plant of the cabbage, Family, with purple flowers and most often seen on rockeries and walls (8) |
| ACER | It's of the highest quality and most often seen in arboretum? |
| TEACHERS | Senior staff deal with almost all of the hard cases (4,8) |
| HEAD | Senior staff deal with almost all of the hard cases (4,8) |
| CRUSTACEA | All the hard cases are put in this class |
| CHASES | Pursues, catching the hard cases (6) |
| RETREAT | With an example at Sissinghurst Castle Garden, an orchard for the cultivation of hazels and other such kernel-bearing shrubs and trees (7) |
| NUTTERY | With an example at Sissinghurst Castle Garden, an orchard for the cultivation of hazels and other such kernel-bearing shrubs and trees |
| HURT | Actor who was the voice of Hazel in Watership Down and of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings (both instances of which being 1978 animated films) (4) |
| STEPHENSONDHEIM | Musical legend who died on November 26. In the late '60s, he wrote British-style crosswords, which often include anagrams, for this magazine; each of our theme plays is an anagram of his name (and thi |
| ARMADILLO | The Andean stringed instrument called the churango was traditionally made from the hard shell of thi |
| AMENTS | The catkins of weeping willows or the lamb's-tails of hazels (6) |
| HISPANIST | Student of the culture of South America, except for Brazil and the Guianas |
| KITTEN | Small violin and half of score for one of Hazel's family (6) |
| TREELINE | Square piece of film equipment in Spain is the limit of Hazel's achievement (4,4) |
| HEATHER | Most often-used common name for calluna (and usually also given to erica)! (7) |
