Dang -- just realized, I used slang that may be uncommon.

Hint: During fisticuffs in the original Batman TV show,
animated "bat-fight words" appeared on the screen.

Bigger Hint (Bat-fight words list):

BAM booz(l)es

Can't fool the detective! Here's to you: ===[***CDM**]===

Thanks, Helmer!

Writer's pony found within confines of stable (6)

Direct on the left. One indicator.

Scribe = writer - se (confines of stable) containing (within) crib (pony, a new meaning for me and I am still tying to work out the derivation beyond a reference to "cribbing")

Interesting, Lex. Your answer looks good! (I was stuck.)

I'd thought: direct='Writer' (ignoring the apostrophe) with 's' being the answer's first letter. I'd also considered: direct='Writers', so a plural answer. And with "confines of stable" meaning 'se', I'd thought the answer's last letter might be "found" as either 's' or 'e'. I couldn't progress.

I knew three kinds of cribs: bassinets, gang-slang and cheat sheets ('pony' as 'cheat sheet' is new for me, too).

Time to get back on the pony, Lex, it's your turn. ===[***CDM**]===

This is what I found in reference to pony. I didn't know that my college crib sheets were ponies.

pony (n)

Meaning "crib of a text as a cheating aid," especially a translation of a Greek or Latin author used unfairly in the preparation of lessons (1827) and "small liquor glass" (1849) both are from notion of "smallness" (the former also "something one rides," a translation being something that enables a student to "get along fast").

Ah, yes, a 'ponytail'. Makes sense, now.

PS: I see the belt has been gaining and losing jewels, in this thread, heh.

The reference to cribbing which I found was what some young horses apparently do, chewing on the manger rather than the hay or other feed in the manger...

pony can also mean £25 in cockney rhyming slang, apparently short for pony-and-trap for c**p (of little worth) and possibly on the same basis, the expression "pony up," for pay up.

...and yes, some jackdawish players have been known to nick the odd bit of bling from the belt, and/or even polish or otherwise embellish it!

Next clue:

Admonisher unexpectedly reconciled (10)

harmonised (anag.)

All yours mxm: ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you Lex

Ten sat up to write letters (5)

io(10)tas(sat reversed)

Well done Sherlock. You know your Greek letters

===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, manxy!

Sleeping on a ship is unsound with a big block
of ice around (8)

berthing

That's the one, Helmer! ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you, Sherlock!

Youth wrote e and reversed an integer (8)

Hint: Although symbol e represents a famous mathematical constant (Euler's number), no math knowledge is needed for this crypt.

one a

Teenager = youth - anagram (wrote) of e + integer with an substituted for in (reversed) - quite sneaky justification which it took me a while to work out!

By the way, thank you Helmer for becoming a strong contributor to this and other puzzle threads: fresh ideas help inspire the rest of us (in my not so humble opinion).

I agree with appreciating Helmer's strong contributions and I hope he continues with them.

But I'm not a fan of this cryptic because it's a bit murky. Assuming Lex's explanation is correct, "wrote" is not an anagram indicator, and "reversed" is not a substitution indicator.

I love a tough cryptic but it has to be fairly solvable and forehead-slapping once explained.

That's my answer, Lex. My wordplay is different, yet (AFAIK) the belt doesn't distinguish! ===[**CDM**]===

e and reversed an = ENA integer

teENAger

I hope that wasn't too much of a stretch, Pandora.

I don't have a lot of experience, under the belt. I'll take this opportunity to ask about "to write" in:

Ten sat up to write letters (5)

That's an example of what Denis told me are 'surface words', yes? Would "wrote" be the same, in mine?

I like your explanation, Helmer. Very sneaky, possibly illegal, but good fun.

Ten sat up to write letters (5) = iotas

"to write" and "wrote" are added words that add surface sense to a clue.

"Denis told me"? Are you a Boris?