Charity Christmas Puzzle 2024

[Matakari]

Good day, NACW, a return to the Charitable Puzzle has yielded some great results. I’m now 136 out of 140. For the following 6, I’m not seeking answers, but just some help with the starting letters, thanks.
5C       ????IEU??????
6C       ?YTH??
14C     ???INE??
30C      ??OSE  (BROSE )
37C      ???LEA? ( FLYLEAF )

[Neveracrossword]

Tilly2, the first letters of each answer get entered in the slot/set of squares. Words, parts of words can then be read downwards. The preamble shows 6 in the first column, 7 in the second.....

[Matakari]

Thanks, Cashier! I inadvertently put too many blanks after the H foe 14C. It should read:

H??INE??
 

So, “happiness” is definitely out. Possibilities I found are:
 

HAZINESS
HOKINESS
HOLINESS
HOMINESS

But I don’t see how any of them can fit.

[Neveracrossword]

Matakari,. Haziness, Mist, sounds like Mist. JJ told you yesterday it was a homophone clue, maybe you missed (!) that?

[Neveracrossword]

...sorry, sounds like Missed.

[Tilly2]

Thank you for the explanation, NAC. I thought the columns were for marking purposes! A tick in each box for each correct answer. ✅✅✅

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Tilly2.  I see this puzzle only when Matakari needs help with it, and I often find the instructions, the preamble, a little baffling. This time, if you fill in the squares as you go along, a fair bit of the thematic stuff becomes pretty straightforward - and that then helps with any tricky clues. I found the third column to be the most fun!

[Matakari]

Thanks, NACW, I too find the preamble somewhat baffling, but I got the first columns easily in a reverse fashion. The third column looked weird, but I clinched it by remembering the “or parts of words” bit. Thanks also for the double definition in the homophone clue!

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Matakari - glad you have finally  got this finished, and glad my hints about the columns turned out to be useful.

[Matakari]

Many thanks, NACW, I'll be on the qui vive for tomorrow's offering of the Spectator, hoping it will be a Matakari-friendly one too!

[Neveracrossword]

Sorry, a Matakari-friendly puzzle is the last thing I want tomorrow! It's likely to be the Christmas special, and I'd like it to be good to make up for some of the recent disappointments. 

[Tilly2]

I was expecting a Christmas special next week but what do I know?

[Neveracrossword]

Tilly2, I'd prefer the Christmas special/the bumper issue to be the following week, but I realised it could be this week. I was really just preparing myself!