Across
Start of second half of year given a miss (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Start of second half of year given a miss JUL 1 (=start of second half of year, i.e. 1 st of July) + A; Julia is a female forename, hence “miss”
A killjoy like Harpagon getting left out (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A killjoy like Harpagon getting left out MISER <l> Y (=like Harpagon, in Molière’s The Miser ); “ left (=L) out” means letter “l” is dropped
Government official put burden on staff (6)
The French king and queen once snubbed a singer of (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
, renowned for her performances of Wagnerian opera
Indian national eating stale Indian bread (4)
Result of our violent rioting? (10)
Left with additional bit of silver in reserve capital (11)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Left with additional bit of silver in reserve capital PORT (=left, on ship) + MORE (=additional, extra) + S <ilver> (“bit of” means first letter only) + BY (=in reserve, as in money put by )
Mike discovered the old writer residing in backward town producing made-up stories (10)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Mike discovered the old writer residing in backward town producing made-up stories M (=Mike, in NATO alphabet) + {[<t> H <e> (“discovered” means external covers are stripped away) + O (=old, as in Old Testament) + POE (=writer, i.e. Edgar Allan Poe)] in YTIC (CITY=town; “backward indicates reversal)}
Now and then Croatians spit possibly ... (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Now and then Croatians spit, possibly … <c> R <o> A <t> I <a> N <s>; “now and then” means alternate letters only
... on account of us backing cases in competition (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
… on account of us backing cases in competition [CA (=cases) + US] in BEE (=competition, as in spelling bee)
A quiet crowd meditate here? (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A quiet crowd meditate here? A + SH (=(be) quiet!) + RAM (=crowd, cram)
American volumes in Irish mostly (6)
Horny type from New York state getting half-cut (5)
Down
Lead poisoning primarily leads to backache (8)
Robert Lindsay? (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
, but to US actor Robert Wagner (1930-) and to US actress Lindsay Wagner (1949-)!!
Woman's nether regions bitten by rodents (8)
Function in which one's inducted into religious group (6)
Girl played a banjo topless? Not initially (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Girl played a banjo topless? Not initially *(A +<b> ANJO + N <ot>); “topless” means that first letter is dropped from anagram, indicated by “played”, and “initially” that the first letter only is used in it
A new government installed in that old Asian city (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A new government installed in that old Asian city [A + N (=new, as in New Testament) + G (=government)] in YON (=that old, i.e. an old word for that ); Yangon in Myanmar was formerly known as Rangoon in Burma
Source of 21 data in much of volume 1 curiously safe outside (11)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Source of 21 data in much of volume 1, curiously safe outside *( VOLUM <e> + 1) in PETER (=safe); “much of” means that last letter only is dropped from anagram, indicated by “curiously”; a pluviometer is a rain gauge, hence “source of rain (=entry at 21) data”
Harry quit pork? I must go out for a little bit (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Harry quit pork? I must go out for a little bit *( QU <I to A >T PORK ); “ I must go out for a means letter “i” is replaced by “a” in anagram, indicated by “harry”, harass; top quark is a particle believed to be one of the fundamental constituents of nuclear matter
By securing a third off there's reason to celebrate (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
By securing a third off, there’s reason to celebrate *(A THIRD) in BY; “off” is anagram indicator
During audition Mark traps instrument (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
During audition, Mark traps instrument Homophone (“during audition”) of “mark=symbol”, sign; the cymbals are a percussion (=traps) instrument
Bug used by US intelligence to catch blighter (6)
Queen of the witches can't stand going round the City (6)
Charles invests in bonds (6)
Type letters or click words in the clue
