Across:
1 Castro (Castro = ACTORS) embarrassed (= anagram indicator) bit players (bit players = ACTORS),
4 Take a draw (SMOKE) when not at home (OUT) (SMOKE OUT) – with this approach there’s no hiding place (SMOKE OUT),
9 Bring up (-RAISE) after (= reversal indicator) Power (P-) (PRAISE) offers commendation (PRAISE),
10 Took in the meeting (ATTENDED) of escort (ATTEND-) and writer (-ED) (ATTENDED),
12 It’s not out of order (OPERATIVE) for Private Eye (OPERATIVE),
13 Give up the ghost (F-AIL) over redhead (‘red’ head = -R-) (FRAIL) in poor health (FRAIL),
14 Pay attention to (CONCENTRATE-) The Last Word (the last ‘word’ = -D) (CONCENTRATED) – it’s the epitome of deep thought (CONCENTRATED),
18 Local floor (ASTONISH-) workers (-MEN-) starting trouble (starting ‘trouble’ = -T) (ASTONISHMENT) in confusion (ASTONISHMENT),
21 Head over heels (= reversal indicator) with crafty type (art = TRA-) in (-IN) (TRAIN) coach (TRAIN),
22 Left in the lurch (ABANDONED) by Russell (George William Russell = AE = A-E-) taking in a part of Cork (-BANDON-) and Dublin (-D) (ABANDONED),
24 Jerk (T-IC) about to make a mistake (-ERR-) presuming that (-IF-) (TERRIFIC) is marvellous (TERRIFIC),
25 NATO in (Nato in = NATION) trouble (= anagram indicator) with Russia, for one (NATION),
26 Sounds like instruction not to give too much aid (HELP LESS) is defenceless (HELPLESS),
27 What writers’ write on (SHEETS of paper), some people lie about (bed SHEETS).
Down:
1 Computer-generated (application = APP-) type of fish (-ROACH) (APPROACH) tackle (APPROACH),
2 Rush (dart = TRAD-) back (= reversal indicator) to a foreign (a = ein = -E-IN-) school (-S) (TRADE-INS) in old cars (TRADE-INS),
3 He religiously smokes a joint (RASTA) and procrastinates dismissing inspector (‘procrastinates’ dismissing ‘inspector’ = rasat = RASTA),
5 This exact method (MATHEMATICAL) describes those figures in some (figures in “some” = figures in “sum”) reports (= homophone indicator) (describes those figures in sum = MATHEMATICAL),
6 Chill (KEEP FRESH) with reserve (KEEP) forward (FRESH) (KEEP FRESH),
7 It’s hell on earth (ORDEAL) for Slav thrown out of El Salvador (‘Slav’ thrown out of ‘El Salvador’ = elador = ORDEAL),
8 Take first nervous steps (TODDLE) to begin (‘to’ begin = T-) Irish dish (coddle) that needs no introduction (c) (‘coddle’ without ‘c’ = -ODDLE) (TODDLE),
11 In a manner of a speaking (DICTION-), part of the horoscope (-ARIES) (DICTIONARIES) in publications, wordy perhaps, in the extreme (DICTIONARIES),
15 Heard (= homophone indicator) eau de cologne (“scent” = “sent” = -SENT-) found in another (= anagram indicator) aisle (aisle = ES-IAL) (ESSENTIAL) is a mush-have (ESSENTIAL),
16 He’s not one to talk (M-IME) about neat (neat = -EANT-) cocktail (= anagram indicator) (MEANTIME) in the interval (MEANTIME),
17 Fundamentalists ignore fan mail (‘fundamentalists’ ignore ‘fan mail’ = udentsts = STUDENTS) from those in Madrassas (STUDENTS),
19 Small (S-) bird (-TIT-) on church (-CH)? (STITCH) Darn! (STITCH),
20 Drunk (= anagram indicator) a port (a port = PATRO-) left (-L) (PATROL) by those doing the rounds (PATROL),
23 In passing (DEATH), this is always a grave business (DEATH).