Across
AC/DC featured in newspaper piece by E Bloom (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
BI (AC/DC) contained by [featured in] COLUMN (newspaper piece), E. Also known as aquilegia.
Loiner's locale has the advantage we hear (5)
Cassandra's edging away from Balearic island ward? (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
MINOR{ca} (Balearic island) [C{assandr}A’s edging away]. A ward is a minor for whom a guardian has been appointed, as in the expression ‘ward of court’. I note the setter has chosen a classical Greek name beginning with C when a Spanish one such as Cristina or Carmen would have been more appropriate.
Pie-eyed guy's precarious course (9)
In love's absence does couple hit rock bottom? (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
D{o}ES [in love’s absence], PAIR (couple)
Refusal to welcome Liberal is recalled in letter (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
NOPE (refusal) containing L (Liberal) + IS, all reversed [recalled]. The fifth letter (Ε, ε) of the Greek alphabet.
Writer's pleasure: this writer's off to tour Lake District initially (7,7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
WILL (pleasure), I AM GOING (this writer’s off) containing [to tour] L (lake) + D{istrict} [initially]. Lord of he Flies is perhaps his most famous work.
Keeping a pretty busy axe shaped the battle record (6,8)
Long article about Astyanax's origin, Greek in Homer (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
ACHE (long) + AN (article) containing [about] A{styanax’s [origin]. Greek stuff in abundance. I got to the answer by following the wordplay but without having any idea what the rest of the clue was about . My AI assistant informs me that in Homer’s works, the term “Achaean” is used to refer to the Greeks collectively who besieged Troy. Astyanax was the son of Hector, Crown Prince of Troy.
Many a witch's death here in question (2,5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
A cryptic hint precedes the literal here, although I’m not totally convinced that the literal works.
Different approach needed for penning year books (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
Anagram [different] of APPROACH containing [penning] Y (year). Often religious texts that are not part of main Hebrew scriptures or New Testament. This comes to us via Latin from the original Greek apokruphos meaning hidden.
Knight occupying space in which scutarius fought (5)
For one buried in fenland see mournful poem (5)
Good person with talk on a certain singer (9)
Down
Jest involving me now crushed in disappointment (8)
Joins course for coastal drivers? (5)
Soldier serving at sea must consume fish spread (9)
Temporary home — call to accommodate one (7)
Artist, composer and author lacking answer (2,5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
ELG{a}R (composer) [lacking answer], ECO (author – Umberto)
Sacred flower for all to see in quite a bunch (5)
Disease rampant on the way in alien world (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
POX (disease) reversed [rampant] + LANE (way) contained by [in] ET (alien). A planet which orbits a star outside the solar system. I didn’t know this although it has come up on a couple of previous occasions 7 or 8 years ago.
Warm reddish-brown colour new in Italian walled city (6)
Abhorrent to Holmes, criminally hiding ace (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
Anagram [criminally] of TO HOLMES containing [hiding] A (ace)
Velocity's elevated rate in starless region (4,5)
Given similar roles, produce manuscript when entering court (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
TYPE (produce manuscript), then AS (when) contained by [entering] CT (court)
Ten work with nurse filling hopper (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
EN (nurse) contained by [filling] X (ten) + OPUS (work). NHO this African frog. Or hadn’t when it turned up previously in June 2022. SOED says this is of Latin origin but it looks more like Greek to me. Either way I’ve had enough of both today.
Plain person, perhaps Scarlett carries old man around (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
O’HARA (perhaps Scarlett in Gone With The Wind) contains [carries] PA (old man), all reversed [ around]. I know some of the native American tribes from watching Westerns in which they were disrespectfully referred to as ‘injuns’.
Kind of chop academician fed to a shrew? (6)
Almost beheaded — before dawn? (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
{n}EARLY (almost) [beheaded]
Measure of acidity in beer for Phoenician character? (5)
Type letters or click words in the clue