Across:
8 Put away (put away/lock away = COMMIT), as it causes readers to pause (comma) – for the most part (a) ('comma' without 'a' = COMM-) it's (its) unfinished (s) ('its' without 's' = -IT) (COMMIT),
9 What the waiter is hoping for (tips) – rise (= reversal indicator) (tips = SPIT-), fuel (fuel), free (= anagram indicator) (fuel = -EFUL) (SPITEFUL) bitter? (SPITEFUL),
10 Brought up (= reversal indicator) in Sharia law (in ‘shaRIA Law’ = rial = LAIR) in refuge (LAIR),
11 What’s the harm (-HARM-) in secretary (PA = P-A-) getting caught (-C-) first (1st = -IST) (PHARMACIST) dealing in drugs? (PHARMACIST),
12 Cheated on the absent (‘cheated on’ ‘the’ absent/without ‘the’ = caedon = DEACON) assistant to The Minister (DEACON),
14 They’re synonymous with that shower getting walked on (BATH MATS) in 23 down (‘bath’ = BATH) with runners (MATS) (BATH MATS),
15 Remembers (COMMITS TO MEMORY) 8 across (‘commit’ = COMMIT-) from the odd sitcom (the odd ‘SiTcOm’ = -S TO) is more my (more my) style (= anagram indicator) (more my = MEMORY) (COMMITS TO MEMORY),
18 Online identity (USERNAME) in America (US-), Spain (-E-), Niger (-RN-) and Albania leading (‘Albania’ leading = -A-) to yours truly (-ME)? (USERNAME),
20 Grown up (MATURE) friend (mate = MAT-E) taking in old city (-UR-) (MATURE),
22 Fill in for (SUB-) old writer (-SCRIBE-) reading (one of the 3Rs = -R) (SUBSCRIBER) to one expecting to get lots of the sun? (The Sun newspaper) (SUBSCRIBER)
24 Those around the borders to come home (those around the borders ‘TO come hoME’ = TOME) for the publication (TOME),
25 It’s not cheeky (REVERENT) to have a high opinion of (REVERE-) good books (New Testament = -NT) (REVERENT),
26 Searches for (SCOURS) lend from scoundrels (‘lend’ from ‘scoundrels’ = scours = SCOURS).
Down:
1 Oscar (-O-) Furlong (F-) starts (= position indicator) craze (-RAGE) (FORAGE) to go hunting (FORAGE),
2 Arab ruler (EMIR) consumed by backward (= reverse indicator) experiment (consume by backward ‘expeRIMEnt’ = rime = EMIR),
3 Put your foot down (STEP ON IT) in Rush (STEP ON IT),
4 Revolutionary (= reverse indicator) leaders on an island synonymous (leaders on ‘An Island Synonymous’ = ais = -SIA) with a (A-) (ASIA) large land mass (ASIA),
5 King (K-) is (-IS-) joining the forecasters (Met Éireann = -MET) (KISMET) or that’s the writing on the wall? (destiny/fate = KISMET),
6 A hospitable type on the ground floor gets walked on (WELCOME MAT) by one greeting visitors to The House (WELCOME MAT),
7 This beats (PULSATOR) Paul’s (Pauls) cryptic (= anagram indicator) (Pauls = PULSA-) rubbish at a local level (rot)? On the contrary (= reverse indicator) (rot = -TOR)! (PULSATOR),
13 Squeezed (COMPRESSED) The Media (-PRESS-) into Medoc (Medoc) building (= anagram indicator) (Medoc = COM-ED) (COMPRESSED),
14 Get into hot water (BATHE) or come clean? (BATHE),
16 Hides (OBSCURES) half of Jacob’s (half of ‘jacOBS’ = OBS-) smokes (-CURES) (OBSCURES),
17 Don’t forget (MEMORISE) viral phenomenon (MEM-E) about old (-O-) teacher (Sir) retiring (= reversal indicator) (Sir = -RIS-) (MEMORISE),
19 Top lawyer (Attorney General = AG-) to study (read) state (= homophone indicator) (‘read’ = ‘reed’ = -REED) (AGREED) deal! (deal! = AGREED),
21 It’s about (RE-) getting 1,000 (Roman 1,000 = -M-) on old boat (-ARK) (REMARK), say (REMARK),
23 Nearly (e) all the characters from 14 down (‘bathB’ without ‘e’ = BATH) or English city (BATH),
24 Consumed medication, for instance (TOOK), to (TO-) get all right (-OK) (TOOK).