Across:
8 Some people will think this is more cryptic (HARDER), as it’s more demanding (HARDER),
9 Playing (= anagram indicator) record? It (record it = DIRECTOR) could be a job for the board! (DIRECTOR),
10 Pass back and forth (swap) backwards (= reversal indicator) (swap = PAWS) in mauls? (PAWS),
11 Organisation (UN-) gave an account (-REPORTED) (UNREPORTED) the paper didn’t publish (UNREPORTED),
12 The foreign (the = LA-) copper (-CU-) leads new (-N-) agency (-A) (LACUNA) – it concerns gap in statement perhaps (LACUNA),
14 Emailed (S-ENT) over tax (DIRT tax) return = (reverse indicator) (DIRT = -TRID-) (STRIDENT) – it’s offensively loud! (STRIDENT)
15 Most of characters in 25 across (‘funerals’ = FUNERAL) and 9 across (‘director’ = DIRECTOR) (FUNERAL DIRECTOR) responsible for putting people down (FUNERAL DIRECTOR),
18 How Oliver might explain his background (ADOPTIVE) to mysterious (= anagram indicator) avid poet (avid poet = ADOPTIVE),
20 Puts pen to paper (AUTHOR) in chapter house releasing speech (‘chapter house’ releasing ‘speech’ = atrhou = AUTHOR),
22 College (C-) ruffles someone’s feathers (riles = R-ILES) over old (-O-) joke (-COD-) (CROCODILES) by the reptiles (CROCODILES),
24 Not working (DEAD) in this state –15 across will presumably look after you (‘funeral director’ will look after you in this state / DEAD),
25 Joy (FUN-) has times to remember (eras = -ERA-S) going around Lima (-L-) (FUNERALS) and some times to remember of late (FUNERALS),
26 Parents (Da + Ma = DAMA-), for example (e.g. = -GE), upset (= reversal indicator) (DAMAGE) by vandalism (DAMAGE).
Down:
1 Reviews (= reversal indicator) a couple of articles (an + an + = -NANA) by a (-A-) bishop (B-) (BANANA) – the primate devours it (BANANA),
2 Goes on to say (ADDS) diehard’s got no heir (‘diehards’ got no ‘heir’ = dads = ADDS),
3 Makes a great fuss (BROUHAHA) of brother (BR-) where French (French “where” = -OU-) have a couple of laughs (ha ha = -HAHA) (BROUHAHA),
4 A month in Jerusalem (6th month in Jewish calendar = ADAR) producing sample of major adaptation (sample of ‘major adaptation’ = rada) to send back (= reversal indicator) (rada = ADAR),
5 Orthodox (PROPER), leading politician (leading ‘politician’ = P-) ties the knot (-ROPE-) with Republican (-R) (PROPER),
6 Damage (SCAR-) and ugly (= anagram indicator) decay (decay = -EDY-CA-) on front teeth (front ‘teeth’ = -T) (SCAREDY-CAT) – presumably, this is why one is afraid to go to the dentist? (SCAREDY-CAT),
7 Verbally attacked (TORE INTO) teachers (Irish National Teachers’ Organisation = INTO) after (= positional indicator) Head removed (s) supply (‘store’ without ‘s’ = TORE) (TORE INTO),
13 A foreign (a = UN-) Jew (‘Jew’ = ‘due’ = -EXPECTED) (UNEXPECTED) on the radio? (= homophone indicator) That’s surprising! (UNEXPECTED),
14 Move like a crab (SIDLE) or bear leaving? Desirable! (‘bear’ leaving ‘desirable’ = dsile = SIDLE),
16 Editor hasn’t touched the film (uncut = UN-CUT) about the German (German ‘the’ = -DER-) (UNDERCUT) to keep the price down further (UNDERCUT),
17 Church caretaker (verger) is not finished (r) (‘verger’ without ‘r’ = verge = ROADSIDE) by the way (ROADSIDE),
19 Raises (= reversal indicator) donations (aid = -DIA-) in pub (IN-N) (INDIAN) dinner (INDIAN),
21 Some desperado ran German (some ‘desperado ran German’ = ORANGE) order (ORANGE Order),
23 Record (LIST) by composer (“Liszt’ = “LIST”) on the radio (= homophone indicator),
24 Serves up (= reversal indicator) port (-P) and crackers (mad = DAM-) (DAMP) when it’s clammy (DAMP).