Across
The last thing batter needs to stop collapse? (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
last letter of batteR inside (to stop) GO UNDER (collapse), &lit. A grounder is a delivery in cricket that stays low and may lead to a dismissal. Anyone who has followed The Ashes will not need an explanation of ‘batting collapse’, but to the uninitiated it’s when several batsmen are dismissed in quick succession.
What's encapsulated by 007 and certain to stir? (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
anagram of (to stir) CERTAIN with the central O from (what’s encapsulated by 0O7) – thanks Jackkt for the help . Another word for an action film/movie.
You did ask to ignore such a significant difference (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
even letters from (ignoring odds, the answer, such) yOu DiD aSk. As in, ‘at odds’.
A breakfast order for one — Bill's golf round ahead (4,8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
E.G. (for one), and the reversal of (round) NEB’S (bill’s) + G (golf), all in front of (ahead) EDICT (order). I now know that ‘neb’ is an actual word for beak or bill; I’ve previously only heard it in the phrase ‘keep your neb out’ and assumed it was a non-sense word.
Select pipe to feed empty cistern (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
HOSE (pipe) in (to feed) the first and last from (empty) CisterN.
Nothing loaded, in that case what's charged magazine? (3,5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
O (nothing) contained by (loaded) THEN (in that case), followed by ION (what’s charged). Satirical online magazine.
In the company of medic, dread takes hold (7)
Relief only some deny donating to the West (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
reverse (to the West) hidden (only some) dENY DONAting.
Film one crashing against tree, then reversed over (3,5)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
I (one) contained by (crashing) V (versus, against) with ARBOR (tree), all reversed, then O (over). John Wayne film.
Compositions confirmed residents of Planet Earth? (6)
"I H8 U": slogan ultimately adopted by disaffected Biden voters (8,4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
last of (ultimately) slogaN contained by an anagram of (disaffected) BIDEN VOTERS. The definition is ‘I hate upper class’, written in a decidedly lower class way, which an inverted snob might say and do.
Within limits, fancied backing fiery mount (4)
Contrary article edited a lot in The Times? (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
reversal of (contrary) AN (article), plus an anagram of (edited) A LOT IN.
Narcissus advanced, in a furtive manner, the last of his dodges (4,4)
Down
"Meet" me on the waves? (5,3)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
I think this is a cryptic definition for someone you might virtually meet on the (air)waves, but also a homophone (on the radio) of “meat” (HAM).
Ill-timed counter logic makes right arguments in the end (12)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
UNrEASONABLE (counter (to) logic) replacing the ‘r’ (right) with the last letter of (in the end) argumentS.
The Cynic leaves us eating melon (8)
Brought into line, book parts rather like Peter or Roger? (7)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
B (book) + BIT (parts), all contained by (brought into) RAY (line). I’m probably missing something / making something up here, and probably not for the first time today. I am missing quite a lot: B (book) contained by (parts) A BIT (rather), all brought into RY (railway, line).
A particular example is in this position (6)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
I have no idea how this works. Thanks to Jackkt – ‘inSTANCE’ (a particular example) is ‘in’ + this.
Heritage group taken in by first-class con (4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
NT (National Trust, heritage group) contained by (taken in by) A1 (first-class).
Show coppers curtains connected with front of theatre (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
PENCE (coppers) contains (curtains) RE (regarding, connected with) and first latter (front) of Theatre.
Ring done well, but individual characters adapted rhyme (4,4,4)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
change only one letter from each word (individual characters adapted) rING DONe wELL.
Scales one of these when going over rising ground (3,5)
Unaffiliated religious individual's initiation in middle of day (8)
I haven't cracked this one yet — but Times for the Times have:
I need help getting this to work. NUN (religious individual ) + first (…’s initiation) of individual, all in NOON (middle of day). But clearly ‘individual’ has two jobs in my parsing. Help! I was hoodwinked by the adjectival ‘religious’, and had never before seen the noun – thanks Kevin.
Having ruled out Holy Island, left with just an impression (8)
Real life and natural laws are seen to grip (7)
On stage as temporary replacement? (6)
One used to fighting old Prohibition (4)
Type letters or click words in the clue