Across:
1 Never (NOT ON YOUR LIFE) does this suggest it’s someone else’s autobiography? (NOT ON YOUR LIFE),
10 Enthusiastic applause (OVATION) as zero (O-) tax (-VAT-) is charged (-ION) (OVATION),
11 Heartless (b) abbot (‘abbot’ without ‘b’ = abot) knocks back (= reversal indicator) (abot = TOBA-) first course (first ‘Course’ = -C-) with cold (-C-) duck (-O) (TOBACCO), and leaves for a smoke (TOBACCO leaves for smoke/cigarette),
12 Four of the upsetting (= reverse indicator) possibilities (four of the ‘posSIBIlities’ = sibi = IBIS) for wading bird (IBIS),
13 Local American causing trouble (locally ‘causing trouble’ = PESKY) by Skype (Skype)? Wrong! (= anagram indicator) (Skype = PESKY),
15 Digs up (= reverse indicator) lead from inland (lead from ‘Inland’ = -I) marsh (bog = GOB-) (GOBI) in desert (GOBI Desert),
17 Ruby (jewel) doesn’t take sides (j+l) (‘jewel’ without ‘j + l’ = EWE), as she is the mother of 32 down (EWE is the mother of ‘lamb’),
19 Serves up (= reverse indicator) pig fat (lard) without starter (l) (‘lard’ without ‘l’ = ard = -DRA) from Brazil (nut = TUN-) (TUNDRA) – a flat treeless region? (TUNDRA),
21 That’s settled (PAID-UP) – relative (PA-) is the one (-I-) to party (Democratic Unionist Party = -D-UP) (PAID-UP),
22 Tailor-made with no tie (‘tailor-made’ with no ‘tie’ = alormad = ARMLOAD) – is that as much as one can handle? (ARMLOAD),
23 Concern for oneself (EGOISM), for example (e.g. = EG-), around (-O-) current (-I-) bank’s system (banks ‘SysteM’ = -SM) (EGOISM),
25 Nearly all (t) those in 27 across (not) (‘not’ without ‘t’ = NO-) ticked off (-MAD-) by top soldiers (top ‘Soldiers’ = -S) (NOMADS) in The Saracens, for example (NOMADS),
27 Starting for all sides today (NOT starting for all sides of today’s grid)? As if that has negative connotations! (‘as if’ = has negative connotations as does ‘not’ = NOT),
29 The odd eeriness (the odd letters of ‘EeRiNeSs’ = ERNS) of The Eagles (ERNS),
30 It’s not as high (LOWER) in Shannon (river = flower), starting off (f), for one (‘flower’ without ‘f’ = LOWER),
31 Island (BALI) institute (-I) and research site (lab) overlooking everything (= reverse all indicator) (lab = BAL-) (BALI),
34 Parson (parson), doctor (= anagram indicator) (parson = SOPRAN-), leader of orchestra (leader of ‘Orchestra’ = -O) (SOPRANO) and member of a choir (SOPRANO),
35 Part of the climbing plant (TENDRIL) around (= reverse indicator) accommodation (let = TE-L) housing indri at The Centre (‘iNDRIs’ at The Centre = -NDRI-) (TENDRIL),
36 It’s long overdue (NOT BEFORE TIME) for a loud (‘a loud’ = ‘aloud’ = homophone indicator) sandpiper (sandpiper bird = ‘knot’ = ‘NOT’) prior to the big bang (BEFORE TIME) (NOT BEFORE TIME).
Down:
2 Talk (ORATION) of kale from Lake Ontario (‘kale’ from ‘Lake Ontario’ = ontario = ORATION),
3 Some of the graffiti bound up (= reverse indicator) (some of the ‘graffiTI BOund’ = tibo = OBIT) in a final notice (OBIT),
4 Article (-AN-) in Kerry (KY) picked up (= reverse indicator) (KY = Y-K-) in middle of week (middle letters of ‘wEEk’ = -EE) (YANKEE) by The New Yorker (YANKEE),
5 Some people are slow on this assuming (slow on the UPTAKE) it might produce a scene (film TAKE) after (= position indicator) a wake? (‘a wake’ = ‘awake’ = UP-) (UPTAKE),
6 Part of the audible organ (LOBE) belonging to Anne Boleyn goes way back (= reverse indicator) (belonging to ‘annE BOLeyn’ = ebol = LOBE),
7 For instance, sighting of Elvis on the moon (FACTOID) or in idiot café making a comeback (= reverse indicator)? (in ‘iDIOT CAFé’ = diotcaf = FACTOID),
8 Noel (Noel = NO -E L-) covers highlights (tint = -T IN T-) and top hits (top ‘Hits’ = -H-) by One Direction (-EAST)? (NOT IN THE LEAST) Far from it! (far from it = NOT IN THE LEAST),
9 Sounds like (= homophone indicator) Granny, for one (Granny ‘knot’ = NOT) is unbearable (IMPOSSIBLE) (NOT IMPOSSIBLE) – how is that credible? (credible = NOT IMPOSSIBLE),
14 Scoff local (SWALLOW = ‘scoff’ locally) broadcast (sow = S-OW) about Partition (-WALL-) (SWALLOW),
16 Almost (h) impudent (brash) (‘brash’ without ‘h’ = BRAS-) joining school (-S) (BRASS) band? (BRASS band),
18 Aim to get off main road (‘aim’ to get off ‘main road’ = nroad = RADON) with dangerous gas (RADON),
20 Some comrade picked up (some ‘coMRAde’ = mra) (= reverse indicator) (mra = ARM) by The Branch (ARM),
21 To 32 down, the god (to ‘lamb’ PAN is the god / the god of flocks and herds) of pot? (PAN),
24 Say, it was me (to say “it was me” = OWN UP TO) let the cat out of the bag in Confession (OWN UP TO),
26 One of those capable of mixing up the characters (ANAGRAM) with a (A-) couple of beasty types from the farming community (nag + ram = -NAGRAM) (ANAGRAM),
27 Close one’s eyes (NOD OFF) to gangster (Don) getting set-up (= reverse indicator) (Don = NOD) and abandoned in a playful way (match abandoned = OFF) (NOD OFF),
28 Ready to go (set) back (= reverse indicator) (set = TES-) for brief (m) stint (term) (‘term’ without ‘m’ = -TER) (TESTER) with The Examiner (TESTER),
32 Frenchman (Monsieur = -M-) in scientist’s place of work (lab = LA-B) (LAMB) is one of Mary’s followers (one of Mary’s followers in “Mary Had A Little Lamb ...” = LAMB),
33 Pesky insect feeding on sweet stuff (GNAT) along the sides of tapioca pudding (along the sides of ‘TApioca puddiNG’ = tang) sent back (= reverse indicator) (tang = GNAT).