Across:
1 What a front-runner might do (a front runner/battleground runner might LEAVE ONE'S POST) in desert? (desert/abandon / LEAVE ONE'S POST),
10 It’s not clear (not frank/not open = EVASIVE) to first lady (EV-E) holding up (= reversal indicator) travel permit? (visa = -ASIV-) (EVASIVE),
11 A person who has left, will (a person who has left will = TESTATE) in time (T-) get 5 down (‘estate’ = - ESTATE) (TESTATE),
12 Up (= reverse indicator) north (NI = -IN), a (-A-) sign (V- sign) (VAIN) of what’s conceited? (VAIN),
13 Some bittersweet mockumentary about (= reverse indicator) (some ‘bittersweET MOCkumentary’ = etmoc = COMTE) Marquis de Sade – the French nobleman that can also be cheesy! (COMTE de Sade and French COMTE cheese),
15 Bulgar (Bulgar, member of a Slavic people = SLAV) or sage from Las Vegas? (‘sage’ from ‘Las Vegas’ = lvas = SLAV),
17 Every second character turning up (= reverse indicator) in Memento (every second character is ‘mEmEnTo’ = eet = TEE) is a shirty type (TEE shirt),
19 Burdensome without more (‘burdensome’ without ‘more’ = budnse = SUNBED) from lounger (SUNBED),
21 What they can view from the Gulf of Aden (RED SEA) in tiered seating (in ‘tieRED SEAting’ = RED SEA),
22 America (A-), Soviet Union (USSR), most of (most of ‘USSR’ = -USS-) Ireland (-IE-), Sweden initially (‘Sweden’ initially = -S) (AUSSIES) and those down under shortly (AUSSIES),
23 Local (NATIVE) square (-T- square) surrounded by green (green = naïve = NA-IVE) (NATIVE),
25 It’s a concern for Freud (PSYCHE) here – Pat is not in speech therapy (‘here Pat’ is not in ‘speech therapy’ = spchey = PSYCHE),
27 Special effects (CGI) brought up (= reverse indicator) in Zelig comedy (in ‘zelIG Comedy’ = igc = CGI),
29 Working in the kitchen (CHEF), Bernard is out of French Bread (‘Bernard’ is out of ‘French Bread’ = fech = CHEF).
30 Streak (FLECK) in Florida (FL-) around (= reverse indicator) church (Church of England = CE = -EC-) on weekend (‘weeK’ end = -K) (FLECK),
31 Blooms in spring (IRIS), in a manner of speaking (Irish), briefly (h) (‘Irish’ without ‘h’ = IRIS),
34 Technology dissident (LUDDITE) left (L-) starters of unadorned duckling (starters of / first letters of ‘Unadorned Duckling’ = -UD-) on crash (= anagram indicator) diet (diet = -DITE) (LUDDITE),
35 Horse (NAG-) takes drink (-GIN-) going to the front (‘Going’ to the front = -G) (NAGGING), going on and on (going on and on = NAGGING),
36 Try one’s luck perhaps (LEAVE TO CHANCE) with a Bandon (‘a Bandon’ = ‘abandon’ = LEAVE) cheat – Con (con cheat) Cook (= anagram indicator) (con cheat = TO CHANCE)? (LEAVE TO CHANCE).
Down:
2 So naïve (so naïve) chopping up (= anagram indicator) (so naïve = EVASION) hedging (EVASION),
3 Film (VEIL) of revolutionary (= reverse indicator) fiction (lie = -EIL) from Mid-Devon (mid ‘deVon’ = V-) (VEIL),
4 Wild cat (OCELOT) strike at foundation (‘strikE’ at foundation = -E-) after (= position indicator) firm (Co) puts up (= reverse indicator) (Co = OC-) unit for auction (-LOT), (OCELOT),
5 All that’s left (ESTATE) of lost (= anagram indicator) tea set (tea set = ESTATE),
6 Supports opposition inside (‘supporTS OPposition’ inside = tsop) up (= reverse indicator) (tsop = POST) in the station (station/area of duty = POST),
7 Endless (end ‘lesS’ = S-) pieces of furniture (-TABLES) (STABLES) in homes for Arabians (homes for Arabians/horses = STABLES),
8 Fails to excite (LEAVES ONE COLD) bookish types (LEAVES) getting on (ON-) with community (EC = -E C-) that’s prehistoric perhaps (-OLD) (LEAVES ONE COLD),
9 Permission (LEAVE) and open access (open ‘Access’ = A) to 14 down (‘message’ = MESSAGE) (LEAVE A MESSAGE) to use the answering machine (LEAVE A MESSAGE),
14 Communiqué (MESSAGE) coming from shambles (MESS-) on Midway (mid ‘wAy’ = -A-), for example (e.g.), looking back (= reversal indicator) (e.g. = -GE) (MESSAGE),
16 Starting for all sides today (LEAVE on all sides of today’s grid) in Split (LEAVE),
18 He’s (HES-) going around state (going around ‘StatE’ = -SE) (HESSE) with writer responsible for journey to the east (writer/Hermann Hesse is responsible for the novel “Journey To The East” = HESSE),
20 Outstanding (DUE) recollection (= reverse indicator) of community (European Union = EU = -UE) development leader (‘Development’ leader = D-) (DUE),
21 Half (half of) prepare to pack again in case (repack) (half of ‘REPack’ = REP) with a gent? (‘a gent’ = ‘agent’ = REP),
24 Foot lever (TREADLE) rotating (= reverse indicator) the Spanish (‘the’ Spanish = el = -LE) electric rail system (Dart = TR-AD-) going around Spain (-E-) (TREADLE),
26 Queen (queen / CARD-) opens in American Coliseum (opens ‘In American Coliseum’ = -IAC) (CARDIAC) with Achy Breaky Heart? (CARDIAC),
27 Club (C-) let in (let in) drunk (= anagram indicator) (let in = -LIENT) (CLIENT) regular (CLIENT),
28 It’s symbolic (ICONIC) of one (I-) Cricket Club (CC = -C-C) touring around (-O-) Ulster (-NI-) (ICONIC),
32 Bookie verified deposit in (‘booKIE Verified’ deposit in = KIEV) European city (KIEV),
33 Covered by Mario Vargas Llosa (covered by ‘mario vARGAs llosa’ = arga) back (= reversal indicator) (arga = AGRA) in Indian city (AGRA).