Across
Optimistic, like male of 17ac? (7)
Writer in retreat welcomed by fat cat (7)
Eagle not the last for Gary Player? (4)
Heavy defeat at home by City, as per usual (9)
Ridiculous record by 17ac (5)
Life’s in a mess for 17ac (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An anagram (‘mess’) of ‘lifes in a’; as in “seal a bargain”.
Bed broken by adult film (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An envelope (‘broken by’) of A (‘adult’) in COT (‘bed’).
Peer tackling drip in toilet (5)
Swimmer occasionally ill at ease doing backstroke? (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Alternate letters (‘occasionally’) in reverse (‘doing backstroke’) in ‘i l l A t E a S e’.
Unlimited plums to take on again (2-6)
Gang member bored by opening of Magic Flute (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An envelope (‘bored by’) of M (‘opening of M agic’) in CRIP (‘gang member’).
Cabaret dancing queen is 17ac (4-5)
Brother working within revolutionary unit (4)
British artist coming back in time to entertain (7)
Female virtue cracked secret (7)
Down
Young adult in passive stage (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A charade of PUP (‘young’ particularly of a dog) plus A (‘adult’).
Footballer on the up – hard worker and big beast! (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A charade of ELEP, a reversal (‘on the way up’ in a down light) of PELE (‘footballer’) plus H (‘hard’) plus ANT (‘worker’).
Husband leaving smoking pot in a lost state (6)
Communist country’s borders admitting drug tolerance (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An envelope (‘admitting’) of E (‘drug’) in LENIN (‘communist’) plus CY ( C ountr Y ‘s borders’).
“Howzat” call from Lyon saving Australia (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An envelope (‘saving’) of A (the second one, ‘Australia’) in APPEL (French noun, ‘call from Lyon’).
Old nag (4)
Most partisan United fan whipped up anger on street (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A charade of U (‘united’) plus NFA, an anagram (‘whipped up’) of ‘fan’ plus IRE (‘anger’) plus ST (‘street’).
Charlie to get away from 17ac (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A charade of C (‘Charlie’) plus LOSE (‘get away from’).
Mark regularly using satnav maps (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Alternate letters (‘regularly using’) of ‘ S a T n A v M a P s’
Sleepy dictator’s gun loaded (8)
Square couple holding joint for fellow traveller (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An envelope (‘holding’) of HIP (‘joint’) in S (‘suare’) plus MATE (‘couple’).
Barney Rubble is 12dn (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
An anagram (‘rubble’) of ‘barney’.
Show around a lost American (6)
Crack and heroin smuggled by 17ac (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
AN envelope (‘smuggled by’) of H (‘heroin’) in CAP (‘seal’, as an oil well); chap as in chapped lips.
Blue, like stilton supplied by Spooner (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A Spoonerism (more or less) of VEINY (‘like stilton’).
Type letters or click words in the clue