Across:
8 Acre on (acre on) settlement (= anagram indicator) (acre on = CORNEA) is in front of one’s eye (CORNEA),
9 Don’t criticise (praise = LAUD-) article (-AN-) by expressing hesitation (-UM) (LAUDANUM) – it will put one to sleep (LAUDANUM),
10 Knocks back (= reversal indicator) sample of alcohol socialising (sample of ‘ alcohOL SOcialising’ = olso = OSLO) in European capital (OSLO).
11 Copy (TRANSCRIPT) of nasty (= anagram indicator) rant (rant = TRAN-) is given to one of those in the abbey (-SCRIPT given to actor in The Abbey) (TRANSCRIPT),
12 Starter of broth (starter of ‘Broth’ = B-) on first (1ST = -IST-) course – the fourth (‘couRse’ the fourth = -R-) has duck (-O) (BISTRO) in nice restaurant (Nice/French BISTRO),
14 Holds the books (CALFSKIN) for Charlie (C-) Alfred’s (Alf’s = -ALFS-) family (= -KIN) (CALFSKIN),
15 Source (WELL-) with plan (-INTENTION-) to contact journalist (-ED) (WELL INTENTIONED) has the best of motives, none of which will work (WELL INTENTIONED),
18 Criminal (CON-) meets a shady type (-TAN-) in street (-S-T) (CONSTANT) or stable (CONSTANT),
20 Reading (R-) old (-O-) review (= reversal indicator) cut to pieces (slay = -YALS) (ROYALS) by that lot from The Palace (ROYALS),
22 Barrier (EMBANKMENT) to maiden (-M-) getting to place of interest (bank = -BANK-) with workers (-MEN-) in Alien (Alien = E-T) (EMBANKMENT),
24 Deal (WOOD) for most of 24 down (most of ‘wool’ = WOO-) is key (music key -D) (WOOD),
25 Those in The House (AUDIENCE) listening to The Speaker (AUDIENCE),
26 Creationist has no taste (‘creationist‘ has no ‘taste’ = crioni = IRONIC) for what’s sarcastic (IRONIC).
Down:
1 Bond (bond) contracted (d) (‘bond’ without ‘d’ = BON-) to leave port (sail) shortly (l) (‘sail’ without ‘l’ = -SAI) (BONSAI) with plant (BONSAI),
2 Take a part (take apart = UNDO) setting up (= reversal indicator) in neighbourhood nursery (in ‘neighbourhoOD NUrsery’ = odnu = UNDO),
3 Players (CAST) from intercounty team (DOWN) (CAST DOWN) suffered at the hands of The Blues (CAST DOWN),
4 Run off (flee) report (= homophone indicator) (‘flee’ = ‘FLEA’) by one of those associated with The Plague (FLEA),
5 Consumables minus bacon (‘consumables’ minus ‘bacon’ = sumles = MUSSEL) and shellfish (MUSSEL),
6 Blonde (FAIR-) behind party (behind ‘partY’ = -Y) and somehow leading (‘Somehow’ leading = S-) Conservative (-TORY) (FAIRY STORY) – how is Hans Christian Andersen responsible for that? (FAIRY STORY),
7 Users rip (users rip = SURPRISE) off (= anagram indicator) revelation (SURPRISE),
13 Eliot (TS Eliot = T-S-) admits the greatest (Muhammad Ali = -ALI-) lunatic (lunatic = -MANIC) (TALISMANIC) is working like a charm (TALISMANIC),
14 Roar from orchestra (‘roar’ from ‘orchestra’ = chest = CHEST) near to one’s heart (CHEST),
16 No more (no more) trouble (= anagram indicator) (no more = ENORMO-) for you and me (-US) (ENORMOUS) – it’s mighty! (ENORMOUS)
17 Run away (TURN TAIL) from convert, spy (convert spy = TURN) and detective (TAIL) (TURN TAIL),
19 Searching for information (ASKING) on the extremes of Anne of Cleves (on the extremes of ‘Anne of cleveS’ = AS-) and Henry VIII (-KING) (ASKING),
21 Family (kin = -K IN) bathroom (LOO-) opens (= position indicator) (LOOK IN) – check it out (LOOK IN),
23 Carted out of the dead centre (‘carted’ out of the ‘dead centre’ = dene = EDEN) of paradise (EDEN),
24 Fleece (WOOL) court (WOO-) at the end of tribunal (at the end of ‘tribunaL’ = -L) (WOOL).