Across
Unknown quantity in series put me off, shocking then (9)
Vehicle hit, bonnet gone? (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A subtraction: [s]TRIKE (‘hit’) minus its first letter (‘bonnet gone’). [s]TRUCK would fit the clue, but not the crossers.
Baggy trousers king examined initially, in quick inspection (4-3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A charade of LOOKSE, an envelope (‘trousers’) of K (‘king”) in LOOSE (‘baggy’); plus E (‘ E xamined initially’).
Figure butcher's returned fisherman's device (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A reversal (‘returned’) of TEN (‘figure’) plus PEEK (‘butcher’s’ – rhyming slang “butcher’s hook” – ‘look”)
Fancy bar (4)
A mouthful eaten by Swiss hero before a dance (10)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An envelope (‘eaten by’) of ‘a’ plus RANT (‘mouthful’; Chambers gives for mouthful “an outburst of strong language” which is near enough) in TELL (William, him of the overture, ‘Swiss hero’) plus ‘a’.
Forward touching on cute header for Tottenham (7)
Old actress with Clouseau actor meeting poet (7)
Negative response broken by a force that man possessed – when to wed? (4,3,3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An envelope (‘broken by’) of ‘a’ plus MET (police ‘force’) plus HE’D (he had, ‘that man possessed’) in NAY (‘negative response’).
Princess married to upper-class lover (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A charade of BEA (‘Princess’ – probably Beatrice, Prince Andrew’s eldest) plus U (‘upper-class’).
Good plug secures the entrance of mine (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An envelope (‘secures’) of ‘the’ in PI (‘good’) plus AD (‘plug’).
See 15 Down
A little insecure even, old legal official (5)
Foul holes grew cleaner (6,3)
Down
Car isn't turning left, south of local line for trains etc (6,9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A charade of PUB (‘local’) plus L (‘line’) plus ICTRANS, an anagram (‘turning’) of ‘car isnt’ plus PORT (‘left’), with ‘south of’ indicating the order of the particles.
Film of soup leaves set of teeth (8)
See 7
Perform weakly twirling round dancer in tutu, though skirts not required (8)
Several sporting minutes for pitcher, we hear? (6)
I don't know what my self-flagellation achieves (2,5,2)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
I suppose you would call that a double definition.
3d
Tree-hugging English footballer, one great player (6,5)
Intellectual leader Liz, PM with foreign money to invest: alarm about that? (8,7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A double envelope (‘to invest’ and ‘about that’) of RAND (‘foreign money’) in ER (Queen Elizabeth, ‘leader Liz’) plus TRUSS (Another Liz, ‘PM’) in BELL (‘alarm’). If you insist that Liz should apply just to one of the ladies, it is your choice which one.
25a
Wingers fine on the wings a day before goal netted by Liverpool, say (9,7)
Game where goal preferred? (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An anagram (-‘erred’) of ‘goal pref’-.
A plot has gone awry for biblical fire walker (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A charade of ‘a’ plus BED (‘plot’) plus NEGO, an anagram (‘awry’) of ‘gone’, for the character (along with Shadrach and Meshach) appearing in the burning fiery furnace in the book of Daniel.
See 23
Mashed smashed — that's it! (2,4)
20d
Pushy parent I'm not sure is supportive of high flier (5,6)
Type letters or click words in the clue
