Across
In fiction, Fez is represented as great for models? (4-4)
Big bust controlled by ex-PM turned villain (6)
For training perhaps, I see small children time and time again? (6,9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
(PERHAPS + I + SEE + CH + T + T)*. SMALL here doesn’t seem to be strictly necessary as CH is a valid abbreviation for “children”, so presumably it is either to assist with the w/p or help the surface, or both. Either way a great “All-in-one” clue.
Popular party or parties finally occupying the House (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
IN + DO + OR + S.
Part of town square out of bounds — it's here, too (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
(S)QUAR(E) + (I)T(‘S) + (H)ER(E).
Italian lovers doing what lovers do: one delayed necking again (8)
Very rich man is taking a fall (5)
Narrow passageway runs from rear of waste-processing unit (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
LANE + R all reversed. My LOI. I really struggled with this, both the definition and the w/p thinking I was looking for a dialect word for a narrow passage.
Encourage to release article backing chief of police force (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
RE(A)SSURE after [backing] P [chief of police].
Porridge server going outside to wipe floor with piece of toast (7)
Are changes accepted by you, no longer a social critic? (7)
Offended Lord Chancellor declines novel (3,3,4,5)
Visitor coming from far away on flash travel pass? (6)
Drug contained in pop had a striking effect on down-and-out (8)
Down
Group of composers – 9? (3,3)
Films need high points? (9)
Comfort one draws from dictator (7)
These letters get edited in the production of gazettes (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
I think the way the w/p works is that you need to add the answer ZETAS to GET which is then anagrammed [edited] to produce GAZETTES. ZETA a slightly rarer visitor from the Greek alphabet than some of its colleagues.
Help picking up D:Ream's notes audibly diminishing (4,3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
D + the notes from REAM i.e. E and A, which “FAID” as a homophone of FADE [are DIMINISHING]. Biffed from checkers. Another name for a hearing aid.
Spliff being shared with others (5)
Just lock pier (8)
Writer left to probe case of sycamore tree (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
ME [writer] + QUIT [left] in SE. Even though I had the Q from QUARTER, QUIT for LEFT didn’t jump out, but rather unhelpfully QUILL for writer did. Tricky.
Horse taking place of head of maths in private Oxford/Cambridge study? (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
A substitution clue where PONY replaces one of the Ms in TOMMY [private]. Unlike some of the other masterly surfaces, this one reads rather oddly (to say the least). My error came here, bunging in a very careless TOPONYMS.
Marble entrance opened by five contracted stars (9)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
GATE preceded [opened] by V + ARIE(S).
Bonkers shot upset spinner (8)
Leaves to switch off TV programmes about cycling (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
CUT TELE [TV programmes] which you then have to reverse [about] and “cycle” moving what becomes the first E following the reversal to the end. Easier to biff than explain.
Was a parody spoilt with name dropping? (7)
Energy-saving routine plugged by Steve Jobs after vacating Apple (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
E in RUT which goes around [plugged] by the first and last letters of STEVE JOBS. I hesitated as to whether the “vacation” could work on a combo of two words rather than the normal one. It seems so.
Subject promoting work associated with faculty (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
TOPIC with the OP bit moved [promoted] to the front.
Theatre doesn't have to worry, beginning to entertain a crowd? (5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
THEATRE minus EAT + E
Type letters or click words in the clue