Across
Introduction to Pointless, with tips from Alexander Armstrong, maybe identifying idiom (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
first letter (Introduction) to P -ointless, with the outer letters (tips) from A -lexande- R , plus LANCE (cyclist Lance Armstrong [wiki] , maybe)
Help whistleblower to frame story (6)
Total number who've paid in gold to get cake (6)
Not guilty — meaning prisoner returned for the first time (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
IN- T -ENT=”meaning”, with CON=”prisoner” reversed/”returned”, substituted for the first T (short for time)
Bed and breakfast's closing after business (3)
Two TVs and a collection of DVDs? (3,3)
Had enough — county town's wanting street theatre banned conclusively (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
definition: Had enough [to pay for] ST – AFFORD (county town of Staffordshire), without/”wanting” ST (street); plus theatr- E banne- D (“conclusively” i.e. take the end letters)
Shy Matt emptied pockets (7)
New side, after old team get rusty (7)
I guess I'd supply camouflage (8)
American — nearly 21, say — ultimately still lacking principles (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A (American) + MORA -y + last/ultimate letter from stil- L MORA-y: 21dn is EEL, and a moray is a type of eel; “nearly” indicates the omission of the final letter
Rest pot on the counter (3)
Sewers using fine line for edges of cloth trousers (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
CH – ANNELS =”Sewers”, using F (fine) plus L (line) in place of the edge letters of C -lot- H
Father's shaking up Sprite (6)
A brilliant discovery! Brussels are amazingly full of potassium (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
EU=”Brussels” + anagram/”amazingly” of (are)* around K (chemical symbol for potassium)
One has several options as a muscle car's punctured tyre at the finish (1,2,5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A (taken from surface) + LAT (a back muscle) punctured by CAR + end letter/finish of tyr- E
Down
Somewhere to go over adult 'hot stuff' (4)
Succulent drink gets round in (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
ALE=”drink” with O=”round” inside
Admit in court, taking drug occasionally (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
IN + CT (court), taking inside occasional letters from D -r- U -g
Type of thermometer I inserted for show (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
RECTAL =”Type of thermometer”, with I inserted inside
Managed small repair after using last bit of Pritt Stick (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
RAN =”Managed” + S (small) + FIX =”repair”; all after last letter of [Prit]- T
Doctor, I croak with cold — one's often seen at the bedside (5,5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
anagram/”Doctor” of (I croak cold)* (I croak with cold)* edited thanks to Valentine “Doctor” as a verb meaning ‘falsify’ or ‘tamper with’
Covering for Morecambe and Wise after finally opening for star turns (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
outer letters/”Covering” for M -orecamb- E + AND (taken from surface) + final letters of [Wis]- E [afte]- R + opening letter of S -[tar]
Every now and then Manx cat's tail begins to stretch (3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
definition: to tax/stretch by imposing burdens/challenges every other letter from [M]- A -[n]- X ; with the end letter/”tail” of ca- T going at the beginning of the solution
Supporter of British artist (3)
Stock well-known baker's cake ingredient? (4,6)
Experiment starts in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 — go! (5,3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
The starting letters from the solutions to clues 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 at the top of the grid give T, R, I, A, L; plus RUN=”go”
Ancient vampire bats left (8)
Swimmer's initially excited by terms of the deal (3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
initial letter of E -xcited + “terms” (ends) of th- E dea- L ‘term’ can mean an ending or completion
This might stop photos being taken of crude lap dances, once lawyer's disappeared (4,3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
anagram/”crude” of (lap da nces)*, without the letters DA (district attorney, “lawyer”)
Beg group that wants to stay dry to carry masks etc over lake (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
AA around PPE plus L (lake) AA: Alcoholics Anonymous, “group that wants to stay dry [teetotal]” PPE: personal protective equipment, “masks etc”
Some theory about eggs (3)
Device's international power plug (4)
In audition, refer to setting (4)
Type letters or click words in the clue