Across
CIA messed about with Castro's country (5,4)
Discover conservative attending church (5)
Good repeatedly to enter small river to fish for eels (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
G+G (good repeatedly) contained by [to enter] S (small) + NILE (river). I’ve never heard of this word, but having arrived at it from wordplay I was delighted to confirm that it actually exists. A quick google through our archive suggests that it has never appeared before, not even in a Mephisto.
Wind, fog, rain, and lightning primarily (7)
Lady to pick up advert for skirt (5)
Thoroughbred animal eating seeds regularly with grass (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
PIG (animal) containing [eating] {s}E{e}D{s} [regularly], then REED (grass). I wasn’t aware this adjectival form of ‘pedigree’ existed.
Using weapons in game, finally attempt to get on scent (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
MUSK (scent), {gam}E [finally], TRY (attempt). Another less than familiar word and the definition is a bit vague but the wordplay got me through.
Recording evil spirit briefly (4)
Clean beneath exhibits (4)
Dashed into city, missing the lecture (8)
Nibbled food with European in shabby surroundings? (4-5)
Subject to rising and falling temperature, one boy suffering setback (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
T (temperature), I (one), then LAD ( boy) reversed [suffering setback]
Snake renamed possibly (7)
Second version of wine vessel (7)
Formerly called extremely dirty and poor (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
NEE (formerly called – née), D{irt}Y [extremely]
Looking to put back a leader from Epsom with south-eastern dialect (9)
Down
Shy before English class (5)
Flight circling southern airspace trials bombing (6,9)
Viewpoints seen on outskirts of every island (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
ANGLES (viewpoints), E{ver}Y [outskirts]
One succeeding when boxing each amateur (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
I (one), NEXT (succeeding) containing [boxing] PER (each). An amateur is not necessarily inexpert, but the word can be used to mean that.
Some ships with radar uncovered weapon to the north (6)
Jointly endorse function over the phone (6)
Competition you're bound to enter? (5-6,4)
Place to fly from New Delhi over another city (9)
Chap cross with country girl who's close to Douglas? (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
MAN (chap), X (cross), W (with), OMAN (country). Douglas is the capital of the Isle of Man. This word appeared in one of the festive Jumbo puzzles blogged last Saturday.
Newspaper printed upside-down? All right, it's the end of the world! (8)
Old lady heartlessly trampled ancient creature (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
MA (old lady), STO{o}D ON (trampled) [heartlessly]. It was a bit like an elephant.
Very likely to be disembowelled? That's fatal! (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
DEAD (very – e.g. accurate), L{ike}Y [disembowelled]
Incite purist to riot (4,2)
Second unfinished drink (5)
Type letters or click words in the clue