Independent 10,226 / Serpent

<h>OLD HANDS (=clutch, grasp (someone) manually); “start to slip” means first letter is dropped

PR. (=priest) + OPEL (=car, i.e. German automobile manufacturer)

*(CAN’T) in TRUE (=right); “supply”, i.e. flexibly, is anagram indicator

Double definition: an escort is a supplier of (intimate) company AND a car, i.e. a Ford Escort

SO (=very good) + LACE (=doctor, spike, e.g. a drink)

G<old> (“trace of” means first letter only) in ORE (=rock)

<infidelit>Y (“culmination of” means last letter only) in FLING (=affair); a flying visit is a brief one

ER (=Head of State, i.e. Elizabeth Regina) + RAND (=ready for South Africa, i.e. currency)

DIES (=ends) + IS (=lives, exists); a diesis is a double dagger-sign used to indicate a reference in printing; the “seen here twice” presumably refers to the entries at 2 and 23 (=double obelus) and at 2 and 25 (=double dagger)

SUN (=newspaper) + SET (=group); figuratively, the sunset of e.g. one’s life is one’s decline

NO1 TAR (=top sailor); “knocked back” indicates reversal; a sailor may receive his daily ration of rum!

[L (=left) + U (=university)] in OBEs (=honours, i.e. Order of the British Empire); an obelus is a dagger-sign used in printing, especially in referring to footnotes

*(CIRC<u>IT), “said you“, i.e. a homophone of “you”, means letter “u” is dropped from anagram, indicated by “training”

PE (=lesson in sportsmanship, i.e. physical education) in ON (=going, in progress)

Cryptic definition: a bye in cricket is an extra

DIAL (=face, of clock) + <r>OGUE (=scoundrel; “losing head” means first letter is dropped)

T<og>ETHER (=united); “conceding own goal (=OG)” means letters “og” are dropped; to tether an animal is e.g. to tie it to a post

RARE (=unusual) in *(FIND); “out” is anagram indicator

<c>O<m>B<a>T (“regulars in” means alternate letters only) + USE (=exercise)

DO (=party) + BLUE (=Tory, Conservative); ‘promoted Unionist (=U)” means letter “u” is moved to a higher position in the word

Hidden (“contributing to”) in “brANCH ORganisation”; an anchor(man) is a host, TV presenter

DETER (=put off, discourage) + MINER (=underground worker); a determiner in grammar is a word used to identify, such as this book, my sister, what food, which house, hence “perhaps this“

Cryptically, non-stop music is rest-less, i.e. with no rests written into the music

EX-HIBIT (=present, display); “argument in favour (=pro)” replacing “former partner (=ex)” means letters “pro” replace “ex”

*(<t>ILTING AT); “failing to start” means first letter is dropped from anagram, indicated by “windmills”, rotates

ASS (=Trump’s behind, i.e. a US word for bottom, rear) + <g>UMPTION (=initiative, enterprise; “lacking good (=G) leadership” means initial “g” is dropped

BRICK (=decent chap) + BAT (TAB=bill (to pay); “upset” indicates vertical reversal)

TRID (DIRT=gossip; “shown up” indicates vertical reversal) in SENT (=broadcast)

*(TO NAME IN); “in another way” is anagram indicator; & lit.

*(LARGE + N (=number)); “at sea” is anagram indicator; & lit.

G (=government) in *(RAGED); “revolutionary” is anagram indicator; a sticker is a piercing weapon, hence “dagger”

HE in [BE (=live, exist) + A<i>D (“author (=I, Serpent) leaves” means letter “i” is dropped)]