ACROSS:
8 Race (MAIDEN horserace) excited (= anagram indicator) Medina (Medina = MAIDEN),
9 Turns up (= reversal indicator), a tough nut leads (a tough nut leads = ATN = -NT-A-) in Grand Prix (race = -E-CAR), racing first (racing first = R-) (RENT-A-CAR) vehicle that’s leased for a time (RENT-A-CAR),
10 Part of buffet arrives (part of ‘buffet arrives’ = FETA) with cheese (FETA),
11 Truants are (truants are = RESTAURANT) out of place (= anagram indicator) in canteen (RESTAURANT),
12 Boasted (bragged) heading off (b) (‘bragged’ without ‘b’ = RAGGED) in tatters (RAGGED),
14 A paltry (a paltry = LAY TRAP) novel (= anagram indicator) about a (A) (LAY A TRAP) preparatory arrangement for The Sting (LAY A TRAP),
15 Most of those in 21 down (most “Greeks” = GREEK) and 11 across (“restaurant” = RESTAURANT) (GREEK RESTAURANT) produced by The Taverna (GREEK RESTAURANT),
18 It’s to do with interest (BANK RATE) in holding cash (BANK) for informer (RAT-) on ecstasy (-E) (BANK RATE),
20 Party (DO-) slump (-SAG-) relates to extreme indiscipline (extreme indiscipline = -E) (DOSAGE) – this might come precisely as a shot in the arm (DOSAGE),
22 Has a session in 1 down, for instance (COURTHOUSE has a session “in camera”), in the bar rooms perhaps (COURTHOUSE),
24 What they offer in 11 across (FEED offered in “restaurant”) could be fodder (FEED),
25 Expression (TERM-) in (-IN-) Alabama (-AL) (TERMINAL) when there’s no way back (TERMINAL),
26 Stout (CHUNKY) produced by cold (C-) barbarian (-HUN-) from Kerry (-KY) (CHUNKY).
DOWN:
1 Americans dismiss sin (‘Americans’ dismiss ‘sin’ = amerca = CAMERA) of film producer? (CAMERA),
2 Some provide aid (some ‘provide aid’ = IDEA) in theory (IDEA),
3 Home- (IN-) -town leader (‘town’ leader = T-) is cheeky (-RUDE-) writing (from the 3Rs = -R) (INTRUDER) to one of those breaking into the business (INTRUDER),
4 Pieces (ARMS) concealed by farm subsidies (concealed by ‘farm subsidies’ = ARMS),
5 It’s a shame (INFAMY) not having males included in family names (‘males’ not included in ‘family names’ = famiyn = INFAMY),
6 Get ready to take flight (taxi) shortly (i) (‘taxi’ without ‘i’ = TAX) with investor’s earnings (RETURNS) (TAX RETURNS) – the types that should have gone to Revenue (TAX RETURNS),
7 Keep up (MAINTAIN) with important (MAIN-) Irish legend (An Táin = -TAIN) (MAINTAIN),
13 The playacting in 19 down possibly (GREEK DRAMA set in “Athens”) detailed (de tailed/end removed = ‘s’) in 21 down (“Greeks” without ‘s’ = GREEK) leads to crisis (DRAMA) (GREEK DRAMA),
14 Is (-IS-) left (-L-) in the foreign (the = le = L-E) (LISLE) thread? (LISLE = thread for stockings),
16 Endorse a (endorse a = REASONED) scheme (= anagram indicator) that’s well thought out (REASONED),
17 The House (AUDIENCE) could be watching 13 down (AUDIENCE could be watching “Greek drama”),
19 Model (= anagram indicator) hates (hates = ATHE-S) going around new (-N-) (ATHENS) city in Europe (ATHENS),
21 Opens 13 down (“Greek drama” = GREEK-) for school (-S) (GREEKS) composition referring to Plato and Aristotle (GREEKS),
23 Remove sloe from Yule logs (remove ‘sloe’ from ‘yule logs’ = yulg = UGLY) – it’s not nice (UGLY),
24 It’s distasteful (FOUL) to offend (off end = F-) Oxford (-O-) College (University of Limerick = -UL) (FOUL).
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