Across
Spouse in extremis — case for narcotic? (8)
Killer getting rid of poet's wife (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
{w}HITMAN (poet) [getting rid of …. wife]
One stuck in a rut — a monk perhaps? (8,2,5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
Monks as members of religious orders wear habits. Monks can also be various types of animal whose form resembles the cowled figure of a monk.
Example of classic tale ending too soon, in my opinion (7)
Vagrant unsettled briefly among CID (7)
With no guarantee of noticing singer's back in race (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
BASS (singer) reversed [back] contained by [in] MILE (race)
Calls for new copper to confiscate drugs (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
N (new) + DS (copper – Detective Sergeant) containing [to confiscate] E + E (drugs)
After rout, oddly joke about approach (3-2)
Ready for romantic encounter now? (2-2-4)
Stupidly elope with two females making you strip (4,3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
Anagram [stupidly] of ELOPE, then F+F (two females)
Beware of Caligula — he's a brute (7)
Chancy affair where spinning round might get you shot? (7,8)
Surgery on Barbie maybe helping? (6)
One arriving at altar as planned (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
Couples engaged to be married might refer to each other as their ‘intended’.
Down
Victim needing help, according to the announcer (6)
Indicate one can become a medical practitioner (9)
Parades one's needlework perhaps (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
A straight definition and a cryptic hint
Vicar up against ecclesiastical head's pizzazz (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
REV (vicar) reversed [up], V (against – versus), E{cclesiastical} [head]
Animal smell a local possesses (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
INN (local) contains [possesses] HUM (smell) + A
Times making retraction in absurd admission of error (2,3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
BY (times) reversed [making retraction] contained by [in] MAD (absurd). Ghastly expression dating from the late 1980s apparently.
School returning suit — is there money in it? (8)
Gloomy academic, exhausted, drinking whiskey (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
DON (academic) + BEAT (exhausted) containing [drinking] W (whiskey – NATO alphabet)
Attempting to deceive FBI, flung out (8)
Did judge set date and time for son to visit? (9)
Already shaved and dressed? (8)
Rider favouring face guard almost to the end (7)
Hand over power as days unfold (7)
A foreign socialist, reportedly still on the shelf? (6)
Let Liberal moving south stand (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
LEASE with L (Liberal] moving south becomes EASEL
Incompetent monarch changing sides (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
CROWN (monarch) becomes CLOWN when R (right) changes sides to become L (left)
Type letters or click words in the clue