Across
Accomplice describes closure of ear piercing (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
SHILL (a confidence trickster’s accomplice) around (describing) the closing letter of [ea] R . Shrill (sound) = piercing = high-pitched and loud.
Long snake about to eat iguana's head (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
ASP (snake) + RE (about = on the subject of), containing (to eat) the first letter (head) of I [guana]. Long, as a verb = aspire = yearn.
Suspend Chinese go-between to begin with (4)
Went off a method that's rejected (10)
Study boring degenerate animal (6)
Rebel state occupies Fleetwood? (8)
Copies rap by Oscar and Gordon Bennett (9)
Joint of pork can provide sustenance at last (4)
Joke about northern band (4)
Continues to demand bouquet is sent back (9)
Patient from doctor's perspective getting cosmetic treatment (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A doctor might see a (male) patient as “the MAN I CURE “.
The French entry is representative (6)
Bring down alcoholic drink with leaders swapping places in business meal (10)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
LOWER (bring down) + PUNCH (alcoholic drink), with the first letters swapped. An important business meeting over lunch.
Small animal? A small insect not yet adult (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
PUP (a young dog = small animal) + A . A stage in the life-cycle of insects, between larva and adult.
Evaluation of framework of metal bars: not good (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
[g] RATING (a framework of metal bars) without the G (good).
Historic capital where The Iliad was set is in Spain (6)
Down
Argument about drinking drop of water in Bath? (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
SPAT (argument) + ON (about = on the subject of), containing (drinking) the first letter (a drop) of W [ater]. Definition by example: Roman spa town in Somerset.
German stops dissolute man becoming crook (5)
Stop talking about that bird hiding among bricks (7)
Veer violently after covering of snow? (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Anagram (violently) of VEER , after the outer letters (covering) of S [no] W . Clue-as-definition: a driver might swerve when losing control on a snow-covered road.
Crooner's son leaves once love fades away and is unresponsive (9)
Rough sketch showing debauchery? On the contrary (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
“On the contrary” tells us to reverse the meaning of the wordplay, so [d] EBAUCHE [ry] is “showing” EBAUCHE rather than the other way round. Not a word I’ve seen before: ébauche (from French) = an initial rough sketch. Perhaps the sort of word that setters need to fill an awkward corner of the grid . . .
Gentle fart in narcissist's plane (13)
Self-assured close friend has energy for bit of affection (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
CONFID [a] NT (close friend), with the A (first letter, or “a bit”, of A[ffection]) replaced by E (abbreviation for energy).
Originally Gauguin left relationship for fascinating beauty (7)
Rising benefit upset expelled head of Thatcherite element (7)
Spineless individual's priority: taking top off with another hidden (7)
City getting twice as big nearly overspent? (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
D [o] UBLIN [g] (getting twice as big), without the last letter (nearly); then we need to split “over” and “spent”, so that the O (over, in cricket scoring) is taken away (spent = used up).
Swimmer very quietly punches man (5)
Type letters or click words in the clue