Mephisto

[mra1]

Stuck on 4 interrelating clues - viz 10ac (8) Things given to sacred use with stars out at the front ?O?S?E?:12ac Fruitcake must evidently contain fruit (4) ?C??: 6d (5) Swagger of the character after a position C??N? and 8D (5) Lose as before in these elections coming up (R??S? I had a friot called acai but cannot work it in. Can anyone help? PS Merry Christmas folk!

[mra1]

Oops in 10 ac there should be 2 blanks after E not 1 - sorry!

[kayakamina]

10a donaries

12a akee

6d brank

8d leese

[bibblebub]

10a) don aries
12a) akee = ...fuitcAKE Evidently...
6d) brank = character after a = B, position = RANK
8d) leese = reversed inside ...thESE ELections...

[mra1]

Many thanks for all that but that now throws 6AC out - I had corn as the answer to some grain swelling but brank ane Reese makes it BOR? Cannot find anything in Chambers to correspond - erm any ideas?

[kayakamina]

boll

[mra1]

Thanks again Kayakamina - seem to have duplicated my question here - sorry!