Across
20d
Struggling in lead for England, Southgate’s developed complex (7,6)
A worker stops eschewing alcohol, making effort (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A (from surface), plus: TEMP=temporary “worker”, stopping/inside TT (teetotal, “eschewing alcohol”)
Go over boundary of reasonable limit (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
outer letters/”boundary” of R-[easonabl]-E, plus CAP=”limit”
Rotter ultimately caught in base action didn’t go straight (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
ultimate letter of [Rotte]-R, inside MEAN=lowly=”base” + DEED=”action”
Old lady, a bit naughty, eating meat in judicial office (10)
Stagger with small and large quantity of wine? (4)
Darn SMS auto-corrected writer of predictive text (11)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
definition: the French astrologer [wiki] anagram/”corrected” of (Darn SMS auto)*
Revealing feature of French artwork that includes sci-fi picture (11)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
definition: a low-cut neckline of a dress DE=”of [in] French”, plus COLLAGE=”artwork” around ET=the Spielberg film=”sci-fi picture”
Row generating a stink (4)
Home supporter hears groups of people fighting (10)
That lady’s hugged by prancing poseur, a comic figure? (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
HER=”That lady’s”, inside anagram/”prancing” of (poseur)*
Adventure story, a gripping book in Biblical setting (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
definition: an ancient kingdom mentioned in the Bible SHE=”Adventure story” + A (from surface), both around B (book) SHE: A History of Adventure [wiki] is a novel by H. Rider Haggard
What might cover features talk about for instance – His Majesty? (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
definition: a type of veil, covering much of the face YAK=”talk”, around both of: AS=”for instance” + HM (His Majesty)
Complimentary Cockney’s report of high-scoring football result (3,4)
Down
Fast runners saving a thousand pounds for sultanas (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
definition: ‘sultana’ as in a sultan’s consort, and a ‘pound’ as in an enclosure, a place where the sultanas might be kept HARES=”Fast runners” around M=”a thousand” in Roman numerals
In Paris, a period to drink drop of Cognac 28 from bars (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
clue uses the solution to 28ac … In Paris, a period to drink drop of Cognac for free from bars definition is the underlined “ free from bars “, with the ‘ for ‘ from 28ac used as a link between the wordplay and the definition parts of the clue UN=”a” in French/”In Paris” + AGE=”period”; both around/drinking C, a drop (last letter? first letter?) of Cognac
Suggest dressing Oscar and Carol in regal fashion (10)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
IMPLY=”Suggest” around/”dressing” both of: O (Oscar, NATO alphabet) + SING=”Carol”
One playing grand French song, forgetting opening line (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
G (grand) + [ L ]A MER=”French song” [wiki] by Charles Trenet, missing the opening L (line)
Hearing you in a Carmen opera song puzzles maestro (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
definition: ARAUCARIA, the Guardian crossword setter [wiki] U=letter pronounced as ‘you’=”Hearing you”, in A (from surface) + RAC (Royal Automobile Club, car men, “Carmen”) + ARIA=”opera song”
He abandons the funny, cut-throat tradesman (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
definition: Sweeney Todd, a fictional murderous barber [wiki] T-[ He ] ODD=”the funny”, minus “ He ” from the surface
Concerned with sea horse eating starter from Italy? Rice, maybe (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
MARE=”horse” around both: starting letter from I-[taly] + TIM=”Rice, maybe” (Tim Rice, the English lyricist [wiki] )
Model turning up bags has meal order (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
SIT=”Model” reversed/”turning up”, around DINES=”has meal”
Person hired to plug in TV with rear side damaged (10)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
definition: “plug” can mean to promote, to advertise anagram/”damaged” of (TV rear side)*
Literary figure in Beckett’s timeless novel (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
definition: the writer John Steinbeck [wiki] anagram/”novel” of (in Becket t ‘s)* – minus one t for “time”, so “time-less”
It’s likely belligerent Olympian features in papers always (1,4,3)
School programs inspiring new, strong spirit (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
SCH (School) + APPS=applications on e.g. a smartphone=”programs”; around N (new)
Kind of equation involving 50 + 1? Not far off (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
L=50 in Roman numerals + I=”one” + NEAR=”Not far off”
See 1 Across
Remote area Charlie goes around (5)
Wee tot’s play reduced by 20% (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
definition: a small amount of alcoholic spirit DRAM-[a]=”play” reduced by one of five letters i.e. “20%”
Type letters or click words in the clue