Across:
8 Blame (ACCUSE) for taking mind off dance music (taking ‘mind’ off ‘dance music’ = aceusc = ACCUSE),
9 Casual (casual = AC-UALS) working (= anagram indicator) around credit (-CR-) (ACCRUALS) and numerous accumulations of interests (ACCRUALS),
10 A measure of one of those grounded types (ACRE) of sources coming off racecourses (‘sources’ coming off ‘racecourses’ = race = ACRE),
11 It’s beside the point (ACCIDENTAL) to a (A-) police department (-CID-) following (= positional indicator) top criminal (top ‘criminal’ = -C-) going bonkers (mental) losing the head (m) (‘mental’ losing ‘m’ = -ENTAL) (ACCIDENTAL),
12 Childish foreign correspondent (PEN PAL) initially posted (initially ‘posted’ =P-) to revolutionary (= anagram indicator) Nepal (Nepal = -EN PAL) (PEN PAL),
14 The Joshua Tree (yucca) needs no introduction (y) (‘yucca’ without ‘y = ucca = ACCU-) – in retrospect (= reversal indicator), it’s suggestive (-RACY) (ACCURACY) of reliable hit (ACCURACY),
15 Those in 24 across (‘acts’ = AC-TS) welcome firm (-CO-) with M.Phils (MPHILS = -MPLIS-), engineers (= anagram indicators) and workers (-MEN-) (ACCOMPLISHMENTS) with admirable achievements (ACCOMPLISHMENTS),
18 Break a law (INFRINGE) up (= reversal indicator) north (NI = IN-) on the border (-FRINGE) (INFRINGE),
20 Relative (AUNTIE) gets a (A-) release (-UNTIE) (AUNTIE),
22 Picking out (DISCERNING) untidy (= anagram indicator) cinders (cinders = DISCERN-) in (-IN-) open grate (open ‘grate’ = -G) (DISCERNING),
24 Makes a scene (ACTS) with Alliance’s (pacts) missing leader (p) (‘pacts’ without ‘p’ = ACTS),
25 Praise (ACCOLADE) expert (AC-E) protecting young man (-LAD-) behind (= positional indicator) firm (-CO-) (ACCOLADE),
26 Is this part of the revolving door perhaps (ACCESS) for 100 (-C-) in criminal (= anagram indicator) cases (cases = AC-ESS) (ACCESS).
Down:
1 DNA removed from Icelandic (‘DNA’ removed from ‘Icelandic’ = icelic = ICICLE), spiky type one associates with 23 down (ICICLE is a spiky type one associates with ‘ices’),
2 It’s the treatment (CURE) for French priest (curé = CURE),
3 Awful (= anagram indicator) game (game = MEGA-) with Turkey (-FLOP) (MEGAFLOP) is a huge disappointment (MEGAFLOP),
4 Part of the hospital care (part of the ‘hospital care’ = TALC) for the white powder (TALC),
5 Bitter (ACIDIC) police department (-CID-) consumed by agents (CIA = A-IC) retiring (= reversal indicator) (ACIDIC),
6 The Messenger (RUNNER) and Beano (Beano), for the most part (o) (‘Beano’ without ‘o’ = BEAN) (RUNNERBEAN), is a little green in the development stage and requires support (RUNNER BEAN),
7 It’s obvious (CLEAR-CUT) criminal (= anagram indicator) cartel (cartel = CLEAR- -T) includes copper (-CU-) (CLEAR-CUT),
13 One of those who has the measure of that Circle (PROTRACTOR measures angles) is on the side of (PRO-) one of those at The Ploughing (-TRACTOR) (PROTRACTOR),
14 It’s odd coming off side-road (‘odd’ coming off ‘side-road’ = siera = ARISE) in that get-up (get up = ARISE),
16 Persuade (CONVINCE) Claire (-CE) to finish (= positional indicator) deception (CON-) with French wine (French “wine” = -VIN-) (CONVINCE),
17 Teacher (HEAD-) with a number of gowns perhaps (-GEAR) (HEADGEAR) and mortarboards (HEADGEAR),
19 Complainers have no spice (‘complainers’ have no ‘spice’ = omlanr = NORMAL) as usual (NORMAL),
21 The first person (I) with quality heading (‘quality’ heading = Q) for trial (TEST) (IQ TEST) with talent spotter (IQ TEST),
23 Covers the bun (ICES the bun) with a slice of Red Leicester (a slice of ‘Red Leicester’ = ICES),
24 Heading off (m) on hike (‘march’ without ‘m’ = ARCH) with one of them on foot (ARCH).