| FEZZIWIG | Mr ?, character in Charles Dickens story A Christmas Carol for whom Scrooge worked as an apprentice (8) |
| VERISOPHT | Lord Frederick ?, character in Charles Dickens novel Nicholas Nickleby killed by Sir Mulberry Hawk in a duel |
| GAMP | Sarah ?, character in Charles Dickens novel Martin Chuzzlewit noted for her large umbrella (4) |
| SMEE | Mr --, character in J.M. Barrie's 'Peter Pan' novels (4) |
| MCGREGOR | Mr --, character in 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' by Beatrix Potter (8) |
| SONGS | Christmas carols, for example |
| CRATCHIT | Bob, employee of Scrooge in Charles Dickens's story A Christmas Carol (8) |
| BOBCRATCHIT | Employee of Scrooge in Charles Dickens's story A Christmas Carol (3,8) |
| TINYTIM | Youngest child of Bob Cratchit in Charles Dickens's story A Christmas Carol (4,3) |
| KITES | Symbolising friendship in Truman Capote's story A Christmas Memory, floating toys named after raptors remarkable for their ability to hover or hang effortlessly in the air (5) |
| TWO | Charles Dickens story of the French Revolution, A Tale Of ... Cities |
| NELSONRIDDLE | ____, a 1A player in Tommy Dorsey's orchestra, later worked as an arranger, with Frank Sinatra and Linda Ronstadt among others |
| KIDS | It's a carol for all ages: When you sing "The Christmas Song," you wish a Merry Christmas to "___ from one to 92" |
| ATALE | 1859 Charles Dickens story, _ ___ of Two Cities |
| EDWINDROOD | The Mystery of - -, incomplete Charles Dickens story (5,5) |
| ACHRISTMASCAROL | Oft-dramatised Charles Dickens story (1,9,5) |
| ARTICLED | Bound as an apprentice (eg, in a legal office) |
| DIOR | Couturier who worked as an illustrator for Figaro Illustre before founding his eponymous label and creating the "New Look" (4) |
| VERMEER | Which great Dutch artist worked as an art dealer, his works include Girl with a Pearl Earring (1665) |
| SERVEONESTIME | What one will do as an apprentice, a slave to the clock? (5,4,4) |
