Across:
8 Make up one’s mind (DECIDE) – no pairs in rice paddies (no ‘pairs’ in ‘rice paddies’ = icedde = DECIDE),
9 Organisation (United Nations = UN-) with old (-O-) pair of writers (pen + ed = -PENED) (UNOPENED) is not exposed (UNOPENED),
10 Suffered the effects of cuts (BLED) in Wimbledon (in ‘wimBLEDon’ = BLED),
11 Cheer up (EXHILARATE) former partner (EX-) getting to detest (H-ATE) bats’ (= anagram indicator) lair (lair = -ILAR-) inside (EXHILARATE),
12 Similar to those at the end of 22 across (CHORDS similar to ‘notes’) in short pants (corduroys) (short ‘corduroys’ = cords), so to speak (= homophone indicator) (‘cords’ = ‘CHORDS’),
14 Respectful (OBEDIENT) of what’s in The Garden (-BED-) that is (i.e. = -IE-) new (-N-), absorbed by books in The Bible! (Old Testament = O-T) (OBEDIENT),
15 Takes head off writer (PENCIL SHARPENER) for making a point (PENCIL SHARPENER),
18 Kitty (POOL-) on edge (-SIDE) (POOLSIDE) as just out of water (POOLSIDE),
20 Tibetans lose it (‘Tibetans’ lose ‘it’ = betans = ABSENT) when not in attendance (ABSENT),
22 Tribute band’s contribution (COVER) to records? (NOTES) (COVER NOTES) Temporarily allowing The Cars to go on the road! (temporary certificates of insurance = COVER NOTES),
24 The scouts of the future (CUBS) lose heart in Bucharest (lose ‘heart’ in ‘Bucharest’ = bucs = CUBS),
25 Royal horse-drawn carriage (VICTORIA) for conquering hero (VICTOR-) and one (-I-) absent (-A) (VICTORIA),
26 Sympathetic (GENTLE) to sides generous to Newcastle (to sides ‘GENerous to NewcasTLE’ = GENTLE).
Down:
1 Condition (HEALTH) of Moor (moor = heath = HEA-TH) going around lost (-L-) (HEALTH),
2 Draw a line excluding arena (‘draw a line’ excluding ‘arena’ = dwli = WILD) that’s out of control (WILD),
3 Setback (REVERSAL) upsets (= reverse indicator) Jimmy (jimmy/crowbar = lever = REVE-L) taking in Republic of South Africa (-RSA-) (REVERSAL),
4 Rhapsodize (GUSH) producing Mercury (Hg) retrospective (= reversal indicator) (Hg = G-H) taking in all the states in America (-US-) (GUSH),
5 Green light (GO-) for the greatest (Muhammad Ali = -ALI-) drug (-E) (GOALIE) employed as a last line of defence, in short (GOALIE),
6 They have a job finding workers (RECRUITERS) or providing employees for a major employer (providing employees for a major/army employer = RECRUITERS),
7 Life for instance (life SENTENCE), written by biographer, for example (SENTENCE),
13 Revives memories (RECOLLECTS) about (RE-) a Mass (amass = -COLLECT-) for school (-S) (RECOLLECTS),
14 Hate leaving each other (‘hate’ leaving ‘each other’ = ecohr = OCHRE) in the autumnal shade (OCHRE),
16 One comic (one comic) misprint (= anagram indicator) (one comic = ECONOMIC) relates to the fiscal space (ECONOMIC),
17 Course (ROAD) for retiring (= reversal indicator) soldiers (GIs = SIG-) is not the first (‘Not’ the first = -N) (ROAD SIGN) offering direction to anyone going on a journey perhaps (ROAD SIGN),
19 Take no notice of (IGNORE) Gore in (Gore in) trouble (= anagram indicator) (Gore in = IGNORE),
21 Take in a little at a time (NIBBLE) from Egyptian flower (flower/river NI-LE) around hostelry (B&B = -BB-) (NIBBLE),
23 Sample of prosciutto – a different (sample of ‘prosciutTO A Different’ = TOAD) type that’s no good (TOAD),
24 Preserves (CANS) satire ignored by sectarians (‘satire’ ignored by ‘sectarians’ = cans = CANS).