Across
Plant feature close to lake bedded by contrary gardener (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
CHIN (facial feature) + {lak}E [close to…] contained [bedded] by MARY (contrary gardener). From the nursery rhyme: Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow? With silver bells, and cockle shells, And pretty maids all in a row.
Proprietor of Venice bar sounded rough — in a state! (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
Aural wordplay [sounded rough]: ARIZONA / “’arry’s owner” (proprietor of Venice bar – Harry’s Bar). This was my last one in. I had spotted the answer as a possibility much earlier but dismissed it because I couldn’t see how it fitted the wordplay. It was only when I had all the checkers in place that I had to accept it was correct and then I set out with new resolve to understand why. Please click the link above for more details if required.
Bob gets caught by Faye's truck when reversing (7)
East German boy receiving a kiss (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
SON (boy) containing [receiving] A + X (kiss)
Excoriates MBAs Tesla sacked (9)
Way past locks that POW got around? (7)
Vehicle securing parking, current Ford model (5)
Appreciate timeless hotel inside Pune's walls (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
RI{t}Z (hotel) [timeless] contained by [inside] P{un}E [’s walls]
Struggle putting name in frame (5)
Idiot losing pounds — an indefinite number — in card game (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
P{l}O{n}KER (idiot) [losing pounds + an indefinite number]
Evasive former pupil runs out of booze after leaving university (7)
Recall my stroll gathering old aromatic plant (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
COR (my!) reversed [recall), AMBLE (stroll) containing [gathering] O (old). A variety of sand leek akin to garlic. NHO this. It has not appeared before today but was clued helpfully.
Additional time to collect Times and Time? (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
ERA (time) containing [to collect] X (times) + T (time)
Chatter involving defrocked Lima bishop? (7)
Darkly brooding writer bored by year working (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
BIC (writer – pen) containing [bored by] YR (year) + ON (working)
Reportedly checks shade that constrains pavement artist? (9)
Down
Great distance, around 100 kilometres (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
MILE (distance) containing [around] C (100) + K (kilometres). I knew this word only from the saying Many a mickle makes a muckle but didn’t even know what that meant. The dictionaries confirm ‘muckle’ means ‘great’ or as a noun ‘a great amount’ but Collins confuses the issue by adding that in Scotland ‘muckle’ means a small amount. I quote verbatim the entry in Brewer’s which perhaps explains all: the original Scottish proverb is A wheen o’mickles mak’s a muckle, where mickle means ‘little’ and muckle ‘much’. However micel or mycel means ‘much’, so that if the Scots proverb is accepted, a converse meaning must be given to mickle.
Molière can upset formalities (10)
Example of batting position? (8)
Film featuring Germany's extremists and power in the country (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
ET (film) containing [featuring] G{erman}Y [’s extremists] P (power)
Measure credit extended to Met office? (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
TICK (credit) extended to Scotland YARD (the Metropolitan police – aka the Met – headquarters or office) gives us YARD’S TICK
Talk idly about regular letters in biggest puzzle (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
JAW (talk idly) containing [about] {b}I{g}G{e}S{t} [regular letters in…]
Manage to wheedle some fizzy drinks, we hear (4)
Began meal, entertaining ace journalist (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
LUNCH (meal) containing [entertaining] A (ace), then ED (journalist)
Disciple uncovered Mafia don — ciao! — shot (10)
Support journal covers novel format (9)
Dog restrained by lead beginning to sniff book (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
ROVER (dog) contained [restrained] PB (lead), S{niff} [beginning]
Girls getting upset with men — they're such troublemakers! (8)
Eccentric derivatives geek embracing India (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
QUANT (derivatives geek) containing [embracing] I (India). I had no idea about this but Collins advises that a Quant (short for Quantative Analyst) is a highly paid computer specialist with a degree in a quantitative science, employed by a financial house to predict the future price movements of securities, commodities, currencies, derivatives, etc.
Nocturnal horseman always features in teaching of Scripture (6)
Bud kicking Mike out of RV (5)
Designate old hot bath no longer hot (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
T{h}ERM (old hot bath) [no longer hot]. An archaic term for a public bath. I didn’t know that.
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