ACROSS:
8 Scott leaves combat boots (‘Scott’ leaves ‘combat boots’ = mbaboo = BAMBOO) in grass (BAMBOO),
9 Declare from the pulpit (PROCLAIM) in Pro- (PRO-) -Cathedral from the beginning (‘Cathedral’ from the beginning = -C-), novice (learner = -L-) has ambition (-AIM) (PROCLAIM),
10 Most of (t) One Direction (‘east’ without ‘t’ = EAS-), Yes, (-Y) (EASY) Trouble, Free? (trouble-free = EASY),
11 Get your head (head/mind = MIN-D) around what’s in a fair amount (half of) of rice (half of ‘rice’ = -CE) dishes that don’t appeal to vegetarians (MEAT dishes) (MINCED MEAT) and what’s in some burgers (MINCED MEAT),
12 Won (W-ON) over English (E-) press organisation (Associated Press = -AP-) (WEAPON) with one piece (WEAPON),
14 Stick around (CL-ING) outside – Virginia from Cavan, for one (town), is losing the head (t) (‘town’ without ‘t’ = -OWN-) (CLOWNING) and acting the eejit (CLOWNING),
15 Man upstairs (GO-D) admits band (-O-) from army post (fort) briefly (t) (‘fort’ without ‘t’ = FOR) gets zilch (NOTHING-) from son (-S) (GOOD-FOR-NOTHINGS) of ne’er-do-wells (GOOD-FOR-NOTHINGS),
18 The opposite of 4 down (the opposite of “open” = CLOSED) is fashionable (IN) (CLOSED IN) and it’s claustrophobic (CLOSED IN),
20 Counterfeiters discount unit cost (‘counterfeiters’ discount ‘unit cost’ = erfeer = REEFER) of the joint (REEFER),
22 It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth (CITRIC ACID) to almost (e) name (name = ‘cite’ without ‘e’ = CIT-) old police force (Royal Irish Constabulary = -RIC) with a (A-) criminal division (-CID) (CITRIC ACID),
24 Throw one’s arms around (HUG-) sweetheart (sweet heart = -E) (HUGE) from Titanic (HUGE),
25 Tendency to (-LEANING) to go after Championship first (Championship first = C-) (CLEANING) working with the Polish (CLEANING),
26 Andrew (Andrew = WARDEN) Cook (= anagram indicator) from The Guardian (WARDEN).
DOWN:
1 Wild (SAVAGE) savoy cabbage borders (‘savoy cabbage’ borders = SAVAGE),
2 Act in accordance with (OBEY) somebody knocking out the Mods (‘somebody’ knocking out the ‘Mods’= eboy = OBEY),
3 Knowledge of French, for instance (COMMAND- of French), is only the start of it (‘only the start of it’ = -O) (COMMANDO) in the Foreign Legion (COMMANDO),
4 Some workshop encapsulated (some ‘workshop encapsulated’ = OPEN) what it means to be accessible to everyone (OPEN),
5 Knocks back (= reversal indicator) mineral (ore = -ERO) with High Ball (lob = BOL-) (BOLERO) – that’s have them on the floor dancing (BOLERO Spanish dance),
6 Old Pope (Pope CLEMENT-) in (-IN-) Spain (-E) (CLEMENTINE) might have links to Seville perhaps (CLEMENTINE might have links a Seville orange),
7 Run into unexpected problems (HIT A SNAG) with jobs for the assassins (HIT-S) guarding a (A) bully (NAG) (HIT A SNAG),
13 Dicky (= anagram indicator) – a president (a president = PEDESTRIAN) lacking inspiration (lacking inspiration/dull = PEDESTRIAN),
14 Cash in on his missing (‘cash in on’ ‘his’ missing = canon = CANON) list of quality books (CANON),
16 Area that’s well covered (OILFIELD) with rough (= anagram indicator) deli foil (deli foil = OILFIELD),
17 Chance to play (TURN-) for the county? (-DOWN) (TURNDOWN) No thanks! (TURNDOWN),
19 Reviews (= reversal indicator) fixture (tie = -EIT) with Clare (CE = -EC-) meeting Dublin (D-) (DECEIT) craftiness (DECEIT),
21 English (E-) lawyer (Attorney General = -AG-) from the foreign (the = -LE-) school (-S) (EAGLES) of high flyers (EAGLES),
23 Some public agencies (some ‘public agencies’ = CAGE) confining movement of beasty types (CAGE),
24 Casing for handling long-term (casing for ‘handling long-term’ = HARM) injury (HARM).
crosswordeditor@irishtimes.com