Across:
8 California failed to get lion (“California” without “lion” = cafria = AFRICA) from continent (AFRICA),
9 Provided (SUPPLIED) fresh (= anagram indicator) pupils (pupils = SUPPLI-) and openings for eye doctor (openings/first letters for “eye doctor” = -ED) (SUPPLIED),
10 Women (W-) in (-IN-) Government (-G) (WING) faction (WING),
11 Open eatery (open “eatery” = E-) with celebrity (-NAME-) serving up (= reversal indicator) unprocessed food (raw = -WAR-) in the French (the = le = -L-E) (ENAMELWARE) retro dishes (ENAMELWARE),
12 A number of waves (SERIES) sound (= homophone indicator) terrifying (“eerie” = “erie” -ERIE-) in boat (S-S) (SERIES),
14 Fair type (CARNIVAL) of transport (CAR-) up north (Northern Ireland = -NI-) for most of (e) the glen (“vale| without “e” = -VAL) (CARNIVAL),
15 Does this mean the wife is out (SLEEPING PARTNER) with one of the investors who’s not working? (SLEEPING PARTNER),
18 Lands on island (CASTAWAY) with players (CAST-) – it’s not a home game (it’s an -AWAY game) (CASTAWAY),
20 Lugosi is the lead (L- is the lead in “Lugosi”) taking on The Count (-ADDER) (LADDER) for a particular run, in a tight situation? (LADDER is a run in a tight situation/ in tights?),
22 Where you might find Humpty Dumpty (OFF THE WALL) with crackers? (OFF THE WALL),
24 Border’s security interests (borders/edges “security interests” = SETS) hardens (SETS),
25 Unemotional figure (COLD FISH) moving around the waters in The Artic presumably (COLD FISH),
26 Not the first (“not” the first = N-) answer (-A-) is true? (true = -TURE) Wrong (= anagram indicator) (NATURE), in essence! (NATURE).
Down:
1 Marry off army officer (“marry” off “army officer” = office = OFFICE) to one of those in a position of authority (OFFICE),
2 Carol (SING) is (is = SI-) upset (= reversal indicator) getting one of those poorer grades (no grade = -NG) (SING),
3 Travel overseas (WATER SKI) to drink (WATER) with endless (end “less” = S-) members of the family (kin) briefly (n) (“kin” without “n” = -KI) (WATER SKI),
4 Austrian misses turn (“Austrian” misses “turn” = asia = ASIA) in the east (ASIA),
5 Emerge (APPEAR) with a (A-) starter of passion (starter of “passion” = -P-) fruit (-PEAR) (APPEAR),
6 Comedian taking an age getting to punchline presumably (SLOW-WITTED), is sluggish on the uptake (SLOW-WITTED),
7 Reduce speed, for instance (DECREASE), and speed camera will fail to get Pam (“speed camera” will fail to get/without “Pam” = seedcera = DECREASE),
13 Uni. Dept. tie (Uni. Dept. tie = INEPTITUDE) designed (= anagram indicator) with a lack of skill (INEPTITUDE),
14 The one that’s not open (CAGEY) could start (“could” start = C-) to mature like wine (-AGE-), by the start of the year (start of the “year” = -Y) (CAGEY),
16 To sail over (LEAP-) river (-R-) in heavy mist (-F-OG) (LEAPFROG) is child’s play if you can get over it (LEAPFROG),
17 In solitary confinement (ALL ALONE), everyone (ALL) says (= homophone indicator) the bank gave it to them (“a loan” = “alone” = ALONE) (ALL ALONE),
19 Fair amount of (half of) publication (weekly) (half of “weekly” = WEE-) produced by baker (-PIE) (WEEPIE) will bring a tear to your eye (WEEPIE),
21 Complete (ENTIRE) building (= anagram indicator) in tree (in tree = ENTIRE),
23 Thirst (ACHE) for some Montrachets (some “Montrachets” = ACHE),
24 Takes it easy immersed (“takes it easy” immersed = SITE) in providing work for the builders (SITE).