Across
In writing on death I tremble, making short notes (15)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
I thought of a possible answer first for “short notes” and then worked out how it parses. DEMISE (death) then I QUAVER (I tremble) inside MS (writing, manuscript). It went in early on, helping a lot with all those down clues.
City proposal a man casually trimmed (9)
Endlessly sad, relative not quite fitting in sweater (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
SA[D] has aun[T] inserted. Cute definition.
A kitchen only half finished leads to comment (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
I remembered the “kitchen” section of the orchestra is the percussion section, so it’s A PERCU[SSION] being half a kitchen.
Silk cut completely the wrong way (8)
After start of fire close damaged platform (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
F[ire], (CLOSE)*. I’ve seen this in novels, it’s short for FORECASTLE, and outside of no-punctuation crosswords would be FO’C’SLE.
Most active local objector finally failing in case (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
a NIMBY being a local objector, (“not in my back yard”), remove the Y and add LEST = in case.
African native, singular youth, getting nothing out of paperback (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
I may be deficient in many areas of GK, but antelopes is not one of them. S for singular, TEEN for youth, BO[O]K for nothing out of paperback.
Squirm and shrivel when right out of place (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
if you move the R, you can get WITHER = shrivel.
One replacing a string? Not on this instrument (8)
Passion and fight oddly saved match (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
WAR = fight, then alternate letters as above.
Stomach mostly visible with shortened attractive garment (5)
Outlook for love: signs are mixed (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
PRO (for), (O SIGNS)*.
Misleading items in papers on French author taking in ass (5,3,7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
this was almost my LOI. I thought it must be “somethings and somethings”, eventually saw MIRRORS could be papers, and thought of George SAND as the author to give me ****S AND. But having the S at the end of the first word held me up, until I remembered a mini-moke was a sort of open top mini car and a moke was a donkey, and the donkey went inside SAND.
Down
Winding stick first to break bulb (7)
Scrum half came over the protected side (5)
Stop house officer discharging the last two (9)
State one's lost a lot of hair (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
the state of MAINE loses I.
Some verse as a sequence (8)
Rifle at first a boy keeps firing wickedly (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
A SON has R[ifle] inserted.
Enthusiastic blue exercising, right on time (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
(BLUE)*, LIEN (legal right) T[ime].
Pair of creatures, big and small, that makes a bond (7)
Endless street party getting noisier (9)
One prepared to compromise who wins a second medal? (9)
Simple house deceptively described (8)
Welcoming opening of restaurant, rank heavenly spread (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
It took me a while to discount ‘welcoming’ as a possible definition and see it meant STATUS (rank) was ‘welcoming’ the R of restaurant. Stratus being a layer cloud, so ‘heavenly spread’ being a fair if devious definition.
Sheep wandering over American city, wonderful old place (7)
Sport a red frill (5)
Perform improperly with paste, hiding diamonds (5)
Back of room, one in school? (4)
Type letters or click words in the clue