Across
At sea crew initially persisted in bad manners (10)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
Anagram [at sea] of C{rew} [initially] PERSISTED
Bar allowed female to take up new position (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
Free [allowed] becomes REEF when F (female) takes up a new position. Last Tuesday we had REEF defined as ‘bank’ and Pip commented: Reef is rock or coral and a bank is sand. I think the same can be said of ‘bar’. REEF defined as ‘bank’ also appeared in The Guardian puzzle last Friday.
Destroy with moving victory at beginning of winter (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
DEC 1 (beginning of winter), MATE (moving victory at chess). I think by now we all know the original meaning of decimate, but usage allows for changes of meaning and ‘destroy’ is fine. The astronomical first day of winter in the northern hemisphere is December 21, but according to the meteorological calendar, the first day of winter in the UK is always December 1. Every play in chess is a move, so with a bit of a squint one might claim that a checkmate is a ‘moving victory’. Incidentally, I was surprised yesterday when several experienced QC solvers including at least two TfTT bloggers were caught out by MAR I clued as Beginning of month. I wonder if they fared better with this one.
The ways of one's ancestors, might one say? (6)
Composer dropping in for something to eat (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
CHOP{in} (composer) [dropping ‘in’]
P for Porsche fanatic? (10)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
P{etrol} [head]. A reverse-type clue. The definition is by example as a petrolhead may be into any type of car, or cars more generally.
Sailor's hat boy and I found in lake (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
PAUL (boy) + I contained by [found in] TARN (mountain lake). I haven’t checked the whole archive but TARPAULIN as a hat has come up at least once previously, in a 15×15 in December 2019. On that occasion it was defined simply as ‘old hat’ but the clue used ‘sailor’ in the wordplay to provide TAR. I didn’t know it then either but as with today’s clue the answer was easy to construct.
Music producer's boss claiming £50 (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
CEO (boss – Chief Executive Officer) containing [claiming] L (£ as in L.S.D.) +L (50)
Bore with complaint on way back (5)
Uncompromising student once having say about home (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
OB (student – Old Boy), then STATE (say) containing [about] IN (home)
Regime in which Mary Poppins would feel at home? (5,5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
Cryptic
Sex before church is a sin (4)
High official, namely one accompanying queen (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
VIZ (namely), I (one), ER (queen). I know this title from Aladdin, Sinbad, Arabian Nights etc where there was usually a Grand Vizier around.
Stupidly I take men a hallucinogen (8)
Nicaragua guerrilla nursing a fever (4)
Stopping work and hitting the sack (10)
Down
Single-minded reactionary resolved to protect old volunteers (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
DECIDED (resolved) containing [to protect] TA (old volunteers – Territorial Army, now Army Reserve) reversed [reactionary]
"Help!" victim called out (7)
A politician drowning in beer and scotch (5,3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
A + MP (politician) contained by [drowning in] STOUT (beer)
Bitter at 27 time? This might help (8,7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
Cryptic with reference to the second meaning at 27ac. Edit: ‘Bitter’ as in ‘bitterly cold’.
Blunder by scientist ultimately creating a monster (6)
A possible clue for when crude (5-4)
Seeing something, I cry out loud (7)
Papa alone, so I organised a dance (9)
Ask too much of English king in public (9)
Witness from trial, breaking schedule, turned up (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
TEST (trial), contained by [breaking] ROTA (schedule) reversed [turned up]
University terrified by head of department leaving (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
{d}READING (terrified) [head of d{epartment} leaving]. Considering almost every sizeable town or city in the UK has a university I’ve never understood why Reading appears to have some sort of favoured status amongst Times setters.
A cardinal holding island back? That's ludicrous (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
A + NINE (cardinal), containing [holding] IS (island) reversed [back]
One generating a lot of interest? (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
Cryptic. A moneylender, especially one charging an excessive rate of interest.
Type letters or click words in the clue