Across:
8 Stubby, colourful writer (CRAYON) of a corny (a corny) novel (= anagram indicator) (a corny = CRAYON),
9 Why is brute (animal) not finished (l) (‘animal’ without ‘l’ = ANIMA-) with Tory (Tory) for the most part? (y) (‘tory’ without ‘y’ = -TOR) (ANIMATOR) Does he have to draw you a picture! (ANIMATOR),
10 Score (ETCH) produced by lead character (lead ‘Character’ = -C-) in The (the) Rock (= anagram indicator) (the = ET-H) (ETCH),
11 Segregates (segregates) fresh (= anagram indicator) (segregates = EASTER EGGS) seasonal treats after fasting (EASTER EGGS),
12 Leave (GO-) unfinished (k) stout (‘thick’ without ‘k’ = -THIC) (GOTHIC) by type of arch (GOTHIC arch),
14 Excited (TURNED ON) to convince someone to spy (TURN- someone) on English (-E-) gangster (Don = -D ON) (TURNED ON),
15 Type of software (OPERATING SYSTEM) for those working on the method in The Theatre presumably (OPERATING SYSTEM in hospital theatre),
18 Caught (-C-) among wild (= anagram indicator) turbots (turbots = OBSTRU-T) (OBSTRUCT) for bar (OBSTRUCT),
20 It’s not hard (easy) heading off (e) (‘easy’ without ‘e’ = ASY-) to short (p) Mass (‘lump’ without ‘p’ = -LUM) (ASYLUM) in sanctuary (ASYLUM),
22 One of The Stones (stone/pip = PIT-) – Bill (bill/tab = -TA B-) gets to dip into (dip into = -READ) (PITTA BREAD) food from the Middle East (PITTA BREAD),
24 Appeals to (BEGS) Ginsberg to remove ring (‘Ginsberg’ to remove ‘ring’ = sbeg = BEGS),
25 What the teachers are capable of (MARKINGS) to damage (MAR-) those on the board (-KINGS on chess board) (MARKINGS),
26 Short (g) season (‘spring’ without ‘g’ = SPRIN-) for first team (first ‘Team’ = -T) (SPRINT) in Rush (rush = SPRINT).
Down:
1 Gold Rush starts (‘Gold Rush’ starts = GR-) with proverb (motto) needing no introduction (m) (‘motto’ without ‘m’ = -OTTO) (GROTTO) from a small cave (GROTTO),
2 Bit of gloomy thought (bit of ‘glooMY THought’ = MYTH) in allegory (MYTH),
3 Editor hasn’t touched the film (uncut = UN-CUT) about the German (German ‘the’ = -DER-) (UNDERCUT) to keep the price down further (UNDERCUT),
4 By no means lose money (‘by no means’ lose/without ‘money’ = bans = BANS) in bars (BANS),
5 Straight and narrow (LINEAR) bar (LINE-) for a (-A-) final beer (final ‘beeR’ = -R) (LINEAR),
6 Without a thought (CARELESSLY), yells scare (yells scare) criminal (= anagram indicator) (yells scare = CARELESSLY),
7 Mystery man (-X-) in mist (fog = FO-G-) has soft spot (-LOVE) (FOXGLOVE) for plant (FOXGLOVE),
13 Difficult accepting this (HARD TO TAKE) is why the thieves ignore Ford Knox? (HARD TO TAKE),
14 Some advocate networking (some ‘advocaTE NETworking’ = TENET), in principle (TENET)
16 A club pin (a club pin) designed (= anagram indicator) (a club pin = PUBLICAN) by one selling to local supporters (PUBLICAN),
17 Careless (SLAPDASH) friends (pals) holding up (= reversal indicator) (pals = SLAP-) Dart (dart = -DASH) (SLAPDASH),
19 Cultured (URBANE) Owl from New Labour (‘owl’ from ‘New Labour’ = neabur = URBANE),
21 Old city (UR-) fellow (-GENT) (URGENT) demands immediate action (URGENT),
23 Is not demanding (EASY) garment from East Germany? (‘garment’ from ‘East Germany’ = seay = EASY),
24 Bank’s business concern (banks ‘BUsiness conceRN’ = BURN) or brand (brand/stamp = BURN).