Across
26a
He is placed second in this (8,5,2,3,8)
Dark colour of 11, apart from the tips (3,4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
[e]DUCAT[e] (’11 apart from the tips’) was an old gold coin.
Eton's head expected to cover up whip in school (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An envelope (‘to cover up’) of CAT (‘whip’) in E (‘English’) plus DUE (‘expected’).
One form of carbon, slangily, is unstable (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A slang term for diamonds (‘one form of carbon’).
Reminders of duels, including my boastful claim and swords (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An envelope (‘including’) of I’M IT (‘my boastful claim’) in SCARS (‘reminders of duels’).
Second kind of soldier, good and smart (5)
Mix our two tins to provide nourishment (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An anagram of ‘our’ plus ‘tin’ ‘tin’ (‘two tins’ – skirting derived anagram territory).
eg restyle, after conversion, in bluish colour (5,4)
Encountered 6 as an example of this (5)
Adjusts minimal amounts of elements, including uranium in small quantities (9)
Words like iron and lead, perhaps, but not cobalt and tungsten (5)
Famous metalworker and I put in small room with nickel (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An envelope (‘put in’) of ‘I’ in CELL (‘small room’) plus NI (chemical symbol, ‘nickel’), for the sculptor and goldsmith Benvenuto Cellini.
Prepare to try gas (not oxygen) when containing bad air (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An envelope (‘when containing’) of RAI, an anagram (‘bad’) of ‘air’ in ARG[o]N (‘gas’) minus the O (‘not oxygen’).
See 1
Down
Kind of system operating in body, giving directions on timeless principle (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A charade of E N (‘directions’) plus DOC[t]RINE (‘principle’) minus the T (‘timeless’).
Clubs in which performers of awful acts may be clapped (5)
Clothed English or American guys (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An implied envelope – E (‘English’) in DUDS (including the “in”, ‘clothed’).
Shortened dress leading to attempt to create instinctive amorous interaction (9)
Product of mine, light and strong — the second one's superfluous for Americans (9)
Something that protects quick ascending climber (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A reversal (‘ascending’ in a down light) of A NAIL (‘something that protects quick’ – ‘quick’ as the sensitive flesh under a finger or toe nail).
Opposite of belligerence characteristic of copper? (3-10)
Making unique version of spiral neon sign, omitting one name (13)
Irish author or 24, for example (9)
Affect with drug, producing odd reaction laced with sulphur (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An envelope (‘laced with’) of S (chemical symbol, ‘sulphur’ aka sulfur) in NARCOTIE, an anagram (‘odd’) of ‘reaction’. Yes, it is a straight anagram, but this parsing makes sense of ‘laced with’.
At home abstaining, having drunk cider inside bar (9)
Religious leader symbolically lists three elements and start of another (5)
Prepare drink for 007, something fermented with hydrogen in it (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An envelope (‘with … in it’) of H (‘hydrogen’) in SAKE (‘something fermented’, the Japanese alcoholic beverage), for James Bond’s preferred recipe for a martini: shaken, not stirred.
Part of silver necklace for French author (5)
Type letters or click words in the clue