Across:
8 Deli’s (delis = SLIDE-) new (= anagram indicator) recipe (-R) (SLIDER) for mini-hamburger (SLIDER),
9 Alter the picture (AIRBRUSH) and melody (AIR-) for supporting film (-B- film) in Dublin (-RUSH) (AIRBRUSH),
10 Egomaniacs with no income? (‘egomaniacs’ with no ‘income’ = gaas = SAGA) It’s a long story! (SAGA),
11 Narrow escapes (NEAR MISSES) in the neighbourhood (NEAR) from unmarried women (MISSES) (NEAR MISSES),
12 The Don, for example (LEADER), is crack (= anagram indicator) dealer (dealer = LEADER),
14 Has natural ability (INSTINCT) to nose? (INSTINCT),
15 Sharpness (QUICK-WITTEDNESS) of Swift (swift = QUICK -), Lawrence (TE Lawrence = -TE-) and Dickens, initially (‘Dickens’ initially = -D-) in The Observer (witness = WIT-NESS) (QUICK-WITTEDNESS),
18 Fellows (CHAP-S) welcoming most of (m) the academic period (‘term’ without ‘m’ = -TER-) (CHAPTERS), in Tom Brown’s School Days, for instance (CHAPTERS),
20 2 down (‘idea’ = IDEAL-) lost (-L-) Sinatra’s primary (‘Sinatras’ primary = -S) (IDEALS) standards (IDEALS),
22 Benin civil (Benin civil = INVINCIBLE) engineer (= anagram indicator) can’t be beaten (INVINCIBLE),
24 Sample of Prosecco along (sample of ‘ProsecCO ALong’ = COAL) with The Black Stuff (COAL),
25 Important records (KEY NOTES) opening doors (KEY) for the musicians (NOTES) (KEY NOTES),
26 Stock (CATTLE) of cold (C-) beer (-A-LE) found outside the capital’s Trendy Taverns (capitals ‘Trendy Taverns’ = -TT-) (CATTLE).
Down:
1 Polite request (PLEASE) for parking (P-) rent (-LEASE) (PLEASE),
2 Inspiration (IDEA) from what’s concealed by seaside alders (from what’s concealed by ‘seasIDE Alders’ = IDEA),
3 Nearest to the players (FRONT ROW is nearest to the players/actors in the theatre) on the rugby pitch (FRONT ROW),
4 Hansel escapes from avalanches (‘Hansel’ escapes from ‘avalanches’ = avac = CAVA) with drunk in Spain (CAVA),
5 Local expresses surprise (CRUMBS) on the trail of Hansel and Gretel (CRUMBS),
6 Most of (y) the animals hunted for food (‘prey’ without ‘y’ = PRE-) studied in the laboratory (-SCIENCE) (PRESCIENCE) for psychic power perhaps (PRESCIENCE),
7 English (E-) ship (-SS-) on scene (scene = -ENCES) unfamiliar (= anagram indicator) (ESSENCES) with the main points? (ESSENCES),
13 Epic doesn’t (epic doesn’t = DECEPTIONS) work (= anagram indicator) with a number of pretences (DECEPTIONS),
14 Lo! Sadist is dropping LSD (‘lo sadist’ is dropping ‘LSD’ = oaist = IOTAS) in extremely small quantities (IOTAS),
16 Lunatic (UNHINGED) can’t keep it together at The Gate (UNHINGED),
17 Importance (EMINENCE) of ecstasy (E-) that’s explosive (-MINE-) for half of France (half of ‘FraNCE’ = -NCE) (EMINENCE),
19 Tickle someone pink (EXCITE) with final (= positional indicator) quote (-CITE) from former partner (EX-) (EXCITE),
21 Responsible (LIABLE) for a libel (a libel = LIABLE) action (= anagram indicator),
23 Throw one’s weight around (BOSS) similarly in 12 across (BOSS similar to ‘leader’),
24 Reference (CITE) charts from architects (‘charts’ from ‘architects’ = iect = CITE).