Financial Times 18,358 by IO

THOUGH (but) + TREADING (putting one’s foot down)

Cryptic definition

1A shows our ‘one step forward’: [though]T READ[ing]

22 & 24 show our ‘two steps back’: [jos]E CAP[ablanca]<; [ventur]E CAP[ital]<

[employe]ES RET[rieving]< (boxes, <after retirement)

Cryptic definition

Reverse clue: [t]ONE[d] (limitless) = somebody

Triple definition

1. Verb ‘to plane’; 2. tree; 3. noun ‘plane’ / thing that smoothens

FORT (keep) + OF (with) + FEE (what is quoted)

For ‘of’/’with’: A person of good character/a person with good character

(I (independent); TENOR (singer suppresses)) during BEE (gathering)

BE NED< (play the hooligan, in Scottish play, <for returning)

DENEB is a star in the Cygnus constellation

‘Ned’ is Scottish slang for a hooligan

CH (Chronicles, esp. Biblical) + (ISRAELI)* (*mock)

[i]N [s]E[v]E[n] D[a]Y[s] (asking for seconds)

(AS PALACE JOB CAN)* (*hurt)
Capablanca is a former chess genius

RECAP IT (to sum it up) in [e]VENTUAL (future, what’s up front can be lost) – &lit

((R, A accepting E (electronic)) + C (clubs)) in OVERT (open)

Double definition

T[evye’s] O[iriginal] P[layer] O[bject] L[esson] (for beginners)

Topol is a mononymous actor who played Tevye, the lead character in ‘Fiddler on the Roof’
*Not quite sure how to make the definition work for this one

ECO (green) + MERC (car) secured by ME (this chap)

(OWN (have) + T[one]R (case of) + ODD (left over)) in DEN (study)

Double definition

(MAY ALL[a]H BLESS, bar A (academy))* (*flourishing)

(E (earl) LATER RENTS)* (*out)

Cryptic definition

A fair fair would refund a sub-par experience

FUEL (stoke) welcomes N, N (new, new) having NET (cleared)

AT ONE (agreed)

SA (it, sex appeal) admitted by 1 AC (leading light)

Isaac is the Biblical father of twins Jacob and Esau

Double definition