Across
Arena made from soft metal? Thanks for nothing (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
S [o] DIUM (soft metal), with TA (casual way of saying “thanks”) instead of O (zero = nothing).
Low-key lecturer dismissed by time theme can be discerned (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
SUBT [l] E (low-key) without the L (abbreviation for lecturer), then X (mathematical symbol for multiplication = by, as in “3 by 2” = 3 x 2) + T (abbreviation for time). The underlying motivation behind something said or written, which isn’t stated explicitly but can be understood.
Acceptable? It's for victim to decide (2,2,3,4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
UP TO (for a specific person to decide, as in “that’s up to you”) + THE MARK (the intended victim of a confidence trick). Up to the mark = reaching the required standard.
Stubbly, perhaps: shaved for broadcast (3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
[h] AIR [y] (stubbly, perhaps) with the outer letters removed (shaved). Air, as a verb = broadcast on television or radio.
King fires cooks making drinks (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
K (abbreviation for king in chess notation) + anagram (. . . cooks) of FIRES . Kefir = a fermented milk drink.
25% of tequila drunk around 3rd of April (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Anagram (drunk) of TEQUILA around the third letter of [ap] R [il]. Term used in statistics for one of four divisions of a range of values, so for example the “first quartile” is the lowest 25% of the values. Strictly “quartile” means the actual value at the 25% boundary, but the term is also used to mean the set of values below it.
Hummus's key ingredient, according to Spooner, is fruit of mallow (4-6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Spoonerism of CHICK-PEAS (the main ingredient in hummus). No, I’d never heard of a name for the fruit of the mallow plant, but it’s in Chambers – and from the wordplay it couldn’t really be anything else.
Is unable to tip (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Double definition. Can’t = contraction of cannot = is unable to; or cant, as a verb = tip = tilt away from the vertical.
Racing driver who finished second several times (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
MO (short for moment = second) + two S (abbreviation for second), so “second several times”. Mid 20th century Formula 1 racing driver Stirling Moss, perhaps with an extended definition: he won a lot of races but never quite managed to win the Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship.
Allegation from conservative Americans in lawsuit (10)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
C (abbreviation for Conservative) + US (abbreviation for American) + A (another abbreviation for American, so “Americans” plural), all inside ACTION (lawsuit). Or perhaps just USA = United States of America = “Americans” generally.
Cover of Vogue inverted flower (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
LID (cover) + OF + FAD (vogue = a passing fashion), all reversed (inverted).
Half-heartedly had rings left to be copied (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
CON [n] ED (tricked or swindled = colloquially “had”, as in “you’ve been had”) with one of the two middle letters (heart) dropped (half-heartedly), around (. . . rings) L (abbreviation for left).
I see one fish (3)
Heads over ahead of schedule; good to make heavenly entrance (6,5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
PATES (heads), containing (over) EARLY (ahead of schedule) + G (abbreviation for good). Name for the entrance to Heaven; from the description in the book of Revelation, where the heavenly city has twelve gates, each consisting of a single pearl.
Settler's unusual support structure (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Anagram (unusual) of SETTLER .
Offensive publication despised in Liverpool sent back after a complaint (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
TET (a military offensive during the Vietnam War), then SUN (tabloid newspaper that was widely boycotted in Liverpool after it falsely blamed Liverpool fans involved in the Hillsborough stadium disaster) reversed (sent back) after A . Complaint = a medical problem, in this case a bacterial infection causing muscle spasms.
Down
Assuming food and drink is outside (5-2)
Removing clothes in celebration shows skill (3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
[p] ART [y] (a celebration) with the outer letters (clothes) removed.
Associate of two Milan teams heading to training (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
INTER + AC (Milan has two football teams called Inter Milan and AC Milan ) + first letter (heading) of T [raining]. Associate, as a verb = interact = work together.
Submissive male? I'm frightened (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
M (abbreviation for male) + EEK (an expression indicating fear).
Piece of information affected queues still (10)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
STAT (short for statistic = a piece of information) + anagram (affected) of QUEUES . Well, sort of . . . The dictionaries (Collins and Chambers at least) say “statuesque” means tall, well-proportioned and dignified. But I’ve heard the word used by football commentators to mean “standing still” like a statue.
Roll joint as exotic break with lady's ending (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Anagram (exotic) of BREAK + end letter of [lad] Y . An establishment (a joint, in slang) that sells bread rolls.
Time to get outspoken Reading Tories' leader evicted - a complete removal (11)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
ERA (a period of time) + DIC [t] ATION (out-spoken reading), without the first T which is the leading letter of T[ories].
Mostly split, and split again in deluge (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
TOR [n] or TOR [e] (split), then RENT (split). Deluge = torrent = heavy rain or floodwater.
Office and flats converted for the birds and the bees (5,2,4)
Make harmless cadet a vet, I fancy (10)
Small window in stairs blocked by cane, essentially (8)
Heartlessly, not supporting the papers etc. giving the third degree (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
N [o] T without the middle letter (heartlessly), after (below, in a down clue = supporting) MEDIA (the papers etc.). A name for the third note (degree) in a rising musical scale.
Duke is grabbed by testicles; they are barely visible (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
D (abbreviation for duke) + IS , all contained in (grabbed by) NUTS (slang for testicles). People who are happy to be visible while bare (naked).
Dad's favourite child, affectionately (6)
Stain book, on the whole (4)
Regularly train to obtain bronze (3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Alternate letters (regularly) from T [r] A [i] N . Bronze = tan as in suntan.
Type letters or click words in the clue