Stuck fast... 14ac) I lose in negotiation with a tall story writer (4,8). I have A?A?, C?L?I?O?. And 25ac) Young man's action men (6). ???T?R. Help, please!
About to send in, but can't quite parse: 3d) Tender *** enclosed in raunchy fringes (8) Looks for all the world like currency (?u?r?n?y). But where's the ***?!?
Hands up in despair... 15ac) Miss Marple is one cautious person (3,5): O?D,?O?A?. 16) You might say Adam Smith's foremost secret (6): ?I?N?T. And lastly 24) Better get good offices for leaders after... ...
Last beastie: 16d) Pound, a writer of verses who inspired another one (8). I make it ?E?L?I?E, and it looks very much like VERLAINE. But that's as far as my puir wee head goes this morning. Help,... ...
Thanks to kind helpers above, and forgive this final plea: 11ac) Personification of a satellite seen with luminance and eccentricity varying (6) I have A?L?N? I'm guessing wildly at ASLANT, but my... ...
Completely and utterly flummoxed by these last two: 5d) In Norway, the large kind of bus (7) I have S?U?T?E, and guess it's SHUTTLE, but cannot parse the Norway bit at all, and 22d) Religious... ...