Across:
8 Tries a (tries a = SATIRE) novel (= anagram indicator), a parody of others (SATIRE).
9 Rugby players (Props = PROP-S-) grasp nothing (-O-) on a (-A-) large (-L) (PROPOSAL) pitch (pitch/tender = PROPOSAL),
10 Break one’s journey (STAY) to see towering Alpine summits (‘See Towering Alpine’ summits = STA-) at the end of January (at the end of ‘JanuarY’ = -Y) (STAY),
11 Loses the head (m) on demonstration (‘march’ without ‘m’ = ARCH-) meeting judge (-CRITIC) (ARCH-CRITIC) – the main reviewer (ARCH-CRITIC),
12 Give an account of (DETAIL) shadow (-TAIL) behind (= position indicator) most of (n) the study (‘den’ without ‘n’= DE-) (DETAIL),
14 Accountant (CA-) is depressed (sad = -S-AD) about the foreign (Spanish ‘the’ = -EL-) ring (-O-) (CASELOAD) and that’s picked up by the barman (CASELOAD picked up by lawyer),
15 Exciting (ELECTRIC) well-wisher (TOASTER someone raising a toast) (ELECTRIC TOASTER) is employed in the kitchen by those producing the breakfast menu (ELECTRIC TOASTER),
18 Shepherd’s (shepherds/guides = MARSHALS) sheep (ram = MAR-) raised (= reversal indicator) on sedimentary rock (shale) curtailed (e) (‘shale’ without ‘e’ = -SHAL-) by Sierra (-S-) (MARSHALS),
20 Offend (INSULT) leadership primarily (‘Leadership’ primarily = -L-) in volatile (= anagram indicator) Tunis (Tunis = INSU-T) (INSULT),
22 Locate tree (locate tree = ELECTORATE) chopped up (= anagram indicator) by those possibly preparing to change what’s going into the house (ELECTORATE),
24 King Cobra has no groin (‘King Cobra’ has no ‘groin’ = kcba = BACK) or spinal column (BACK),
25 Review (= reversal indicator) of French (French ‘of’ = du = -UD) women (W-) in kiosk (stall = ST- -ALL) (STUD WALL) divides The House (STUD WALL),
26 Organic (INNATE) pub (INN-) starters for a trendy evening (starters for ‘A Trendy Evening’ = -ATE) (INNATE).
Down:
1 Sounds like (= homophone indicator) security (‘bail’ = ‘bale’ = BA-LE) around the race (-TT- race) (BATTLE) for a marathon clash, for example (BATTLE of Marathon),
2 Cork (CITY) from Shiraz, for example – the one you won’t get in a pub (Shiraz CITY in Iran),
3 Merchant (RETAILER) gets lost (-L-) inside Eritrea (Eritrea) settlement (= anagram indicator) (Eritrea = RETAI-ER) (RETAILER),
4 Large scale (EPIC) concealment of vine pickings (concealment of ‘vinE PICkings’ = EPIC),
5 Twists someone’s arm (FORCES) to produce (= anagram indicator) fresco (fresco = FORCES),
6 Ship (S-S) contains old (-O-) agent’s (agents = -CIA-) log (-LIST-) (SOCIALISTS) produced by those who have left politics with views that aren’t right (SOCIALISTS),
7 Space to keep boats (MARINA-) at fair (half of) rate (half of ‘raTE’= -TE) (MARINATE) or steep? (steep/soak = MARINATE),
13 Security are aware of this (ACCESS CODE) approach (ACCESS) and delivery method (Cash On Delivery = COD-) for drugs (-E) (ACCESS CODE),
14 Train from Costa Rican (‘train’ from ‘Costa Rican’ = cosca = COCAS) plants synonymous with the drug-making business (COCAS),
16 Bill’s (bills = LEAFLETS) French (-F-) accommodation (-LET-) in pastoral green areas (leas = LEA-S) (LEAFLETS),
17 Circle (O-) backs (= reversal indicator) diabolical (evil = -LIVE) crude type (OIL) (OLIVE OIL) coming from The Press in Greece (OLIVE OIL),
19 A (A-) woman (-NORA-) gets cocktail (‘cocK’ tail = -K) (ANORAK) that’ll keep her warm on a cold night (ANORAK).
21 Serves up (= reversal indicator) Mexican dish (taco = -OCAT-) in the foreign (‘the’ foreign = el = L-E) (LOCATE) place (LOCATE),
23 Gifted (ABLE) icons from balconies (‘icons’ from ‘balconies’ = bale = ABLE),
24 Supporting Elbow, for example (BONE), performing (-ON-) in Belgium (Be = B-E) (BONE).