A quicker solve of the long anagram at 1ac would have helped considerably. As it was I took 16 minutes being misdirected by the many clever clues and some padding to others. So, whilst fun, here is the sorry tale of my Tuesday solvings.
ACROSS
1. Passionately - with great enthusiasm. Anagram (struggling) of ESTONIA PLAYS. Easy to see the anagram - harder to crack it.
8. Olive - green colour. I have (IVE) noticed on (top of which is) circle (O) line (L). Took a while to realise the definition wasn't just 'green'.
9. Insects - creatures. Seen in (IN) groups (SECTS) - I don't think the 'round about' does anything. Update - as pointed out by Mohn2 and jackkt below, groups are in fact SETS which are placed around about (C).
10. Eyesore - it's not a pretty sight. Homophone (you say?) of I (EYE), fly high - soar (SORE).
11. Allow - admit. Liberal (L) in a depression (A LOW).
12. Trendy - cool. Shot (TRY) holds goal (END).
14. Stayed - remained. Homophone (when speaking) of sober - staid.
17. Terse - brief. ThE dReSsEr.
19. Abridge - shorten. A, BRIDGE.
21. Open out - flourish. Old (O), writing implement (PEN), no longer fashionable (OUT).
22. El Cid - first shown in the 1960s. First letters (premiers) of Epic Luxury Cinema In Dorking. On a quick trawl I couldn't find the first location but it would be nice to think it was in Dorking.
23. It's hard to say - double definition.
DOWN.
1. Protestation - objection. Decay (ROT) in gym (PE) and railway terminal (STATION). I went through all the London stations at first.
2. Swine - cads. Small (S), WINE.
3. Ice cold - far from warm. Anagram (organised) of DO CECIL.
4. Nailed - hammered. Anagram (drunk) of DANIEL.
5. Tessa - girl. The answer is 'sandwiched' in the clue - haTES SAlmon.
6. Locally - nearby. Colonel (COL) turns up = LOC, friend (ALLY).
7. Ash Wednesday - start of fasting period. Anagram (changed) of SWEDEN SAY HAD.
13. Earnest - pledge. Anagram (dodgy) of EASTERN. Thinking in the wrong direction - I'd virtual written in 'E' for eastern and was working on a word for pledge which would have given 'dodgy'.
15. Torment - suffering. Wrong (TORT) around soldiers (MEN).
16. Taster - sample. Part (portion) of pasTAS TERrible.
18. Epoch - a long time. Manage (COPE) to mount = EPOC, horse (H). Whether the 'it requires' can be considered part of the definition or just padding I'm not sure.
20. Ducks - double definition.
ACROSS
1. Passionately - with great enthusiasm. Anagram (struggling) of ESTONIA PLAYS. Easy to see the anagram - harder to crack it.
8. Olive - green colour. I have (IVE) noticed on (top of which is) circle (O) line (L). Took a while to realise the definition wasn't just 'green'.
9. Insects - creatures. Seen in (IN) groups (SECTS) - I don't think the 'round about' does anything. Update - as pointed out by Mohn2 and jackkt below, groups are in fact SETS which are placed around about (C).
10. Eyesore - it's not a pretty sight. Homophone (you say?) of I (EYE), fly high - soar (SORE).
11. Allow - admit. Liberal (L) in a depression (A LOW).
12. Trendy - cool. Shot (TRY) holds goal (END).
14. Stayed - remained. Homophone (when speaking) of sober - staid.
17. Terse - brief. ThE dReSsEr.
19. Abridge - shorten. A, BRIDGE.
21. Open out - flourish. Old (O), writing implement (PEN), no longer fashionable (OUT).
22. El Cid - first shown in the 1960s. First letters (premiers) of Epic Luxury Cinema In Dorking. On a quick trawl I couldn't find the first location but it would be nice to think it was in Dorking.
23. It's hard to say - double definition.
DOWN.
1. Protestation - objection. Decay (ROT) in gym (PE) and railway terminal (STATION). I went through all the London stations at first.
2. Swine - cads. Small (S), WINE.
3. Ice cold - far from warm. Anagram (organised) of DO CECIL.
4. Nailed - hammered. Anagram (drunk) of DANIEL.
5. Tessa - girl. The answer is 'sandwiched' in the clue - haTES SAlmon.
6. Locally - nearby. Colonel (COL) turns up = LOC, friend (ALLY).
7. Ash Wednesday - start of fasting period. Anagram (changed) of SWEDEN SAY HAD.
13. Earnest - pledge. Anagram (dodgy) of EASTERN. Thinking in the wrong direction - I'd virtual written in 'E' for eastern and was working on a word for pledge which would have given 'dodgy'.
15. Torment - suffering. Wrong (TORT) around soldiers (MEN).
16. Taster - sample. Part (portion) of pasTAS TERrible.
18. Epoch - a long time. Manage (COPE) to mount = EPOC, horse (H). Whether the 'it requires' can be considered part of the definition or just padding I'm not sure.
20. Ducks - double definition.