Across:
8 Is a cut above (HIGHER) what’s comparable to 9 across (HIGHER is comparable to “superior”),
9 Is it better (SUPERIOR) to rise up or (rise up or = SUPERIOR) fall? (= anagram indicator),
10 Has a hand (PALM) in finding characters in Oedipal mystery (finding characters in “Oedipal mystery” = PALM),
11 Local late-night newsagent (CORNER SHOP) blocks off (CORNER S-) openings for housing over property (openings for “housing over property” = -HOP) (CORNER SHOP),
12 Political leader (“political” leader = P-) gets pay (pay = -AP-Y-) off (= anagram indicator) accommodating American (-A-) – a (-A) (PAPAYA) bit of a smoothie perhaps (PAPAYA),
14 Cowboy (RANCHMAN) released water (RAN- the water) from pair of taps (cold + hot = -CH-) for labourer (-MAN) (RANCHMAN),
15 8 across (“higher” = HIGHER) provides work for 25 across (EDUCATION provides work for “teachers”) (HIGHER EDUCATION) on the course to The Enlightenment (HIGHER EDUCATION),
18 Precious type (ADORABLE) of hammer (= anagram indicator) or a blade (or a blade = ADORABLE),
20 Network (LIAISE) in fairy tale (LI-E) contains a (-A-) fair amount of (half of) The Coalition (the axis) (half of ‘axis’ = -IS-) (LIAISE),
22 A meal’s been (a meal’s been = ABLE SEAMEN) laid out (= anagram indicator) for sailors (ABLE SEAMEN),
24 Exchange (SWOP) of revolutionary (= reversal indicator) prisoners (Prisoners-of-War = POWs = SWOP),
25 The Don’s (college dons = TEACHERS) fixing (= anagram indicator) the races (the races = TEACHERS),
26 Unfinished (t) patch (“spot” without “t” = SPO-) to exercise (-USE) (SPOUSE) with mate (SPOUSE).
Down:
1 Wild (= anagram indicator) acid (acid = -ICAD-) in California (C-A) (CICADA) produced by a noisy, chirpy type (CICADA),
2 Local companion (CHUM) could start (“could” start = C-) to run well (-HUM) (CHUM),
3 A (A-) judge from the past (Resident Magistrate = -RM-) takes over the meeting (the chair = -CHAIR) (ARMCHAIR) – it’s handy when one is sitting (ARMCHAIR),
4 Compliments Aristophanes’ content (“compliments Aristophanes” content = TSAR) of The Emperor (TSAR),
5 In spite (SPLEEN) of casing for split screen (casing for/sides of “split screen” = SPLEEN),
6 Butchers (butchers = BRUSCHET-) mince (= anagram indicator) the last of the meat (last of the “meat” = -T-) to go with a (-A) (BRUSCHETTA) piece of toast (BRUSCHETTA),
7 Officer (CO-) at the manor (Lord = -LOR-D-) welcomes a (-A-) round (-O) (COLORADO) on the western edge of the Great Plains (COLORADO),
13 It’s certainly disgusting (ABHORRENCE) getting make-up (= anagram indicator) on her brace (on her brace = ABHORRENCE),
14 Flyover (bridge), heading off (b) (“bridge” without “b” = RIDGE) to range of mountains (RIDGE),
16 Beholden (INDEBTED) to dine (dine = IN-ED) out (= anagram indicator) consuming something outstanding (-DEBT-) (INDEBTED),
17 Mark (punctuation mark = COLON-) Victor (1ST = -IST) (COLONIST) settles overseas (COLONIST),
19 Replaced the curse (BEEPER replaces a curse/offensive word on radio/television, etc.) of the pager? (BEEPER),
21 Man from Edinburgh (Scot) briefly (t) (“Scot” without “t” = SCO-) put to work (-USE) (SCOUSE) with the English, in a manner of speaking (SCOUSE is Liverpudlian English, in a manner of speaking),
23 Fragment of Thomas Hardy (fragment of “Thomas Hardy” = MASH) or Pound (pound = MASH),
24 Who’s (whos = SHOW) out (= anagram indicator) to demonstrate the truth of something? (SHOW).