Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication
Across:
8 Joyce, for one (AUTHOR), is responsible for 18 across (AUTHOR responsible for “articles”),
9 Shock (SHIVERED) from storage unit (SH-ED) containing single (-I-) volt (-V-) in hospital (-ER-) (SHIVERED),
10 Giant (OGRE) specimen in de facto greenhouse (specimen in “de facto greenhouse” = OGRE),
11 One of the characters (INDIVIDUAL) in solitary (INDIVIDUAL),
12 It’s a gamble (B-ET) protecting paramilitaries (Ulster Freedom Fighters = -UFF-) (BUFFET) in self-serving arrangement (BUFFET),
14 Brave Ali (brave Ali = VARIABLE) beaten (= anagram indicator) by type that doesn’t stand still (VARIABLE),
15 Eccentric (CHARACTER-) is first (first = 1ST = -IST-) to get fair amount of (half of) the basics (half of the “basics” = -ICS) (CHARACTERISTICS) and a number of the elements (CHARACTERISTICS),
18 Crafty type (ART-) in charge (in charge = -IC-) at the French (the = -LES) (ARTICLES) AA? (A + A = ARTICLES),
20 Record (-REC-) in institute (DI-T) (DIRECT) is straightforward (DIRECT),
22 Claims (ADMISSIONS) these were heard in confessions (ADMISSIONS),
24 The most important (MAIN) American state (“Maine” = “MAIN”) it is said (= homophone indicator),
25 Gloomy (FUNEREAL) English (-E-) games partner (FUN- and games) is the first (= positional indicator) from Brazilian capital? (-REAL = monetary capital from Brazil) (FUNEREAL),
26 Stick around (REMAIN) for marine (marine = REMAIN) trip (= anagram indicator).
Down:
1 Fighting in China (KUNG FU) with knight (chess: king’s knight = K-G) over a foreign (a = -UN-) refuge centre (“refuge” centre = FU) (KUNG FU),
2 Small (S-) garden implement (-HOE) (SHOE) in Oxford, for one? (Oxford SHOE),
3 Creative (ARTISTIC) crafty (= anagram indicator) racist (racist = ARTIS-C) admits twisting (= reversal indicator) it (it = -TI-) (ARTISTIC),
4 Took advantage (USED) of some gregarious educationalists (some “gregarious educationalists” = USED),
5 Second (SILVER) example of type of substance in 7 down (SILVER is an example of “metallic” substance),
6 In principle (“principle” = “principal” = HEADMASTER), to the audience (= homophone indicator), it could be Freud? (head master? = HEADMASTER),
7 Copper’s description (METALLIC) of climate (climate = META-LIC) change (= anagram indicator) around central Ireland (central/middle “Ireland” = -L-) (METALLIC),
13 Did a job on The Field (FERTILISED) and is (-IS-) in Fruitful (fruitful/fertile = FERTIL-E-) Deceptions from the start (“deceptions” from the start = -D) (FERTILISED),
14 They’re the opinions (VIEWS) of tipsy (= anagram indicator) wives (wives = VIEWS),
16 Got a job (HIRED) on Top Gear (top “gear” = G-) with a foreign type (a = -UN) (HIRED GUN) having a shot at celebrity for the money perhaps (HIRED GUN),
17 First off (h), religious followers (“Hindus” without ‘h’ = INDUS-) find test (-TRY) (INDUSTRY) hard work? (INDUSTRY),
19 Depletions (LOSSES) of sole (sole = LO-ES) swimming (= anagram indicator) around ship (-SS-) (LOSSES),
21 Keen (cry) briefly (y) (“cry” without “y” = CR-) on goddess (-ISIS = Egyptian goddess of fertility) (CRISIS) from The Emergency (CRISIS),
23 Crude types (OILS) of fresh (= anagram indicator) soil (soil = OILS),
24 Limits Ménière’s syndrome (limits/sides “Ménière’s syndrome” = MEME) going viral (MEME).