Across
Where the rich hope to avoid the call of duty? (8)
Task shifting to the front ordinary mineral earth (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
CHORE (a boring task), with the O (abbreviation for ordinary, as in O-level exams) shifted to the front. A pigment (ranging from yellow through orange to brown), derived from clay containing iron oxide.
Oscar punches belly - it's extremely painful (4)
9-iron's used in big game (10)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Anagram (used, perhaps in the old sense of “mistreated”) of OCHRE IRON’S , where OCHRE comes from 9a. As in big-game hunting: a large wild animal.
It is OK - it is OK - periodically to express disapproval thus (6)
Gaelic Times I (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Beginning letter of C [orrupt] + Y (Yankee in the radio alphabet) + B (abbreviation for bishop) + ERSE (Irish Gaelic) + X (times = symbol indicating multiplication). Sexual activity using Internet communications.
Like a chap from Brussels getting himself confused? (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Anagram (confused) of HIMSELF . Flemish = belonging to one of the two main ethnic or linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being Walloon. The question-mark is needed to indicate a definition by example, because people from Brussels aren’t necessarily Flemish.
An insignificant person Henry the former Prime Minister (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
A SQUIT (an insignificant person) + H (abbreviation for henry, the unit of electrical inductance). Herbert Asquith, UK Prime Minister in the early 20th century.
Paragraph writer Saul half-heartedly starts being a bit ill (8)
Local rule using benchmark interest rate as specified by Spooner (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Spoonerism of LIBOR = London Inter-Bank Offered Rate, formerly a measure of average interest rates. A law made by a local authority and enforceable only within its area.
Treasure to rise in value (10)
Boyfriend upper-class Republican kicked out of office (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
BU [ur] EAU (office = organisation or government department), without U (abbreviation for upper-class) + R (abbreviation for Republican).
Crone unveiled party piece (5)
Pen a note chiding parcels biz delivering small items (8)
Down
Make merry ultimately wonderful musical (8)
A bit pale lacking energy (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
WHIT [e] (pale), without the E (abbreviation for energy). As in “not a whit” = not a bit = not at all.
God willing old king shall receive artist and composer (6)
Oh can't I be put to work in the old city? (7)
Idiot Russian dog endlessly runs away (4)
Greek humour failure following loss of a uniform guerrilla army (10)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Anagram (failure) of GREEK HUMO [u] R without one U (Uniform in the radio alphabet). Guerrilla army that took power in Cambodia during the 1970s.
An early Christian from France I sat above the Catholic church (6)
Instrument Mike installed in boat adrift on water (10)
British/American coach (3)
Step over 25? (3)
Initially take steps to cover each social gathering (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
Initial letter of T [ake] + DANCE (steps), covering EA (abbreviation for each). A dance party held in the late afternoon with tea and cake, as distinct from one held in the evening with wine and a main meal. A slightly weak clue because “dance” has the same meaning in both wordplay and definition.
Very dry area within North-Eastern Crete was her home (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Fifteensquared have:
ARID (very dry), with A (abbreviation for area) within it, then NE (abbreviation for north-eastern). In Greek mythology, the daughter of King Minos of Crete.
Former partner a tango specialist (6)
Large bloke from ABBA's catching fish (6)
Wally bed-ridden student (4)
Spa putting up hotel bill (4)
Type letters or click words in the clue