Across
Congratulatory gesture one way to make friends? (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
friends = PALS, put back is SLAP.
Agent runs after rent? (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
rent = BROKE, add R[uns].
Extremely useful bird boxes at last! (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
U[sefu]L, TIME (bird, prison time), has AT “boxed”.
Navigation with Poles winding down (6)
Line's included in church hymn: we must think it's a bloomer! (13)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
CH (church), RY’S (railway line’s), ANTHEM (hymn), UM (we must think!).
Times goes on being a favourite of the Queen (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
ESSE (existence, being, from Latin) X (times). The Earl of Essex, Robert Devereaux, was a big favourite of Elizabeth I; the jury is out on how close their relationship really was.
Gripping new English writer is pleasant change (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
NICE (pleasant) is “gripping” N, E, PEN (new English writer).
Military band ridiculously bars women (3,6)
Gather confession from fool (5)
Magnitude of blow dealt by defeat here indeterminate? (6,7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
I knew nothing about this American battle, so read it up on Wiki. I am still none the wiser about how to parse this, except for the obvious “little / big” dichotomy leading to something indeterminate. Perhaps one of our Transatlantic solvers can explain it to us.
What you keep with practice or give up? (4,2)
Such errors often attributed to ministers? (8)
Viewing aid picked up the smallest things (6)
A second girl's turned set on (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
A, S (second), DELIA’S reversed (turned).
Down
Risqué word that raises a smile: Danish? (4,6)
Fur left behind by old pet (3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
COAT loses O for old.
Exams set mostly especially for certain types of school? (4-3)
Old defence area not fiddled with in high-scoring draw? (8,4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
A (area), (NOT)*, NINE ALL with W[ith}inserted. The Antonine Wall was the northernmost border of the Roman Empire in these islands, running from the Firth of Clyde to the Firth of Forth, 63 km long, 3 m high and 5 m wide. Quite a thing.
Shock after submarine finds preserved fish (7)
High Mass having a major link with Islam originally, surprisingly (11)
Quietly finishing off drink, or what's left? (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
RUM (drink), P (quietly).
Legendary weapons in truth cleaned out: fails to secure enough? (12)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
T[rut]H, UNDER BOLTS meaning fails to secure enough.
Blame screen for distorting likeness (11)
Article by a couple of boys eclipses what one puts in the paper (8,2)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
PER (by), SON, LAD (a couple of boys), insert A (article).
Strip of green clothing transformed the design afresh (7)
Country tune, say: part of it almost certainly recalled (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
all reversed; AIR (tune), EG (say), LA (part of Algeria reversed). I had ERITREA in for a while, and thought it parsed, but 19a and 20a put paid to that idea. EDIT see below comments, ideas about the LA being part of a tune. Seems a better explanation.
It follows forthwith — usually — but not all of it (4)
Largely hair-raising mountain route? (3)
Type letters or click words in the clue