Across
Competent assistant cuts wire (7)
Witch costume for TV returned looking the worse for wear (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
HAG (witch), then DRAG (costume for TV = transvestite = cross-dresser) reversed (returned).
26a
(and 26 Across) Working tea lady with apron on can't play (6,3,9)
Injection treatment partly using same needles in recession (5)
Mini in street brought to suit couple (11)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
WEE (dialect word for small = mini) in ST (abbreviation for street) + HEARTS (a suit in playing cards).
From behind, Juan's very tasty! (3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
MUY (“very” in Spanish, as spoken by someone called Juan) reversed (from behind). Yum! = expression meaning “that tastes good!”.
Fellow leaves first of two shellfish (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
[f] ORMER (the first of two) without the F (abbreviation for fellow). A mollusc also known as abalone.
Jazz musician possibly bitter accepting work in oil company (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
BEER (possibly bitter), containing (accepting) OP (abbreviation for Latin opus = a work of music or literature) inserted into BP (oil company).
On short rations as commanded by Iron Duke (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
UNDER (commanded by) + FE (Fe = chemical symbol for iron, from Latin ferrum ) + D (abbreviation for duke).
Deliveries trainee's left in full view (5)
Old Russian satellite turns in outermost circle (3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
MIR (Russian space station, 1986 – 2001) reversed (turns).
Answer magazine's boss gives prematurely (5,2,4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A (abbreviation for answer) + HEAD OF TIME (boss of Time magazine).
Sound chirpy pretty close to defeat (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
TWEE (pretty, but said in a disparaging way) + last letter (close) of [defea] T .
See 9 Across
Whip near Keir regularly is party manager (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
CAT (short for cat o’ nine tails = a whip) + alternate letters (regularly) from [n] E [a] R [k] E [i] R . Someone who provides food for parties.
Employer of Bob Marley visits (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Cryptic definition, referring not to the musician Bob Marley but to Dickens’ novella A Christmas Carol . Scrooge is the employer of Bob Cratchit, and the ghost of Jacob Marley visits him.
Down
Hot wash runs after cold programme (4,4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Anagram (runs) of HOT WASH , after C (abbreviation for cold, as in hot and cold water taps).
French film company of course European (5)
Rabbit that's divided for burger (3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Double definition. Shortened form of “bunny” = rabbit; or a bread roll split to hold a hamburger.
Earth dead? Cheer up (5)
US lawyer uncovered case of youth uprising in state capital (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
DA (abbreviation for District Attorney = US lawyer) + BARED (uncovered) + outer letters (case) of Y [out] H , all reversed (uprising = upwards in a down clue). Capital of the Indian state of Telangana.
Gross affluence meets demonstration stopping oil (11)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
GR (abbreviation for gross = without deductions) + EASE (affluence) + PROOF (demonstration, in science / mathematics = proof that something is true). As in greaseproof paper for food preparation.
Gas surprisingly clean yet ultimately non-renewable (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Anagram (surprisingly) of CLEAN YET + last letter (ultimately) of [non-renewabl] E . Gas used for welding; generally derived from fossil fuels, so it is indeed non-renewable.
How awful finding limb in river (4,2)
Article captain holds on sailing ship (5-6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
THE (definite article in grammar) + MASTER (captain), holding RE (on = on the subject of).
Tiny male spider, say, causing hiatus at concert (5,4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
MINI (tiny) + M (abbreviation for male) + REST (in snooker, a device to support the cue; for example the “spider”, a taller rest for reaching over the top of another ball). A break of a certain length between musical notes.
Train service runs after strike, more or less (6,3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
R (abbreviation for runs in cricket scoring), after BUFFET (as a verb = strike = hit) + CA (ca = abbreviation for Latin circa , about = approximately = more or less). Food-service area on a train.
See great changes in cheap accommodation (8)
Perishing with convulsive twitch after electrical discharge (6)
Leaving university, compulsion becomes habit (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
D [u] RESS (under compulsion = under duress = forced to do something against one’s wishes) without the U (abbreviation for university). As in a monk’s or nun’s habit = clothing.
Lead in paint Rothko has absorbed (5)
A year ending in December is what you'd expect (3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
PA (abbreviation for Latin per annum = a year, as in “£100 a year”) + last letter (ending) of [decembe] R . In golf scoring, par = the expected number of strokes needed for a hole or for the whole course.
Type letters or click words in the clue