Across:
8 Advantages releasing vast (‘advantages’ releasing ‘vast’ = adnage = AGENDA) list of items (AGENDA),
9 Frank (OPEN) Cross (cross = rood) knocks back (= reverse indicator) (rood = DOOR (OPEN DOOR) order for porter? (order for porter/doorman = OPEN DOOR),
10 The instrument (BASS) of badness has no end (‘badness’ has no/without ‘end’ = bass = BASS),
11 Goes through purgatory (MAKE AMENDS) to prepare (prepare = MAKE) workers (-MEN-) in commercials (ads = A-DS) (MAKE AMENDS),
12 Anxiety (STRAIN) for school (S-) transport down the line (-TRAIN) (STRAIN),
14 Alarms (STARTLES) the leads in The Lady Eve (the leads in ‘The Lady Eve’ = -TLE-) surrounded by celebrities (stars = STAR-S) (STARTLES),
15 Pepper’s ghost, for instance (OPTICAL ILLUSION), to the viewers is not all it seems (OPTICAL ILLUSION),
18 A diplomat’s skill (-TACT-) occupying criminals (cons = CON-S) (CONTACTS) – those employed by the spies (CONTACTS),
20 Surgeons go out (‘surgeons’ ‘go’ out/without ‘go’ = surens = NURSES) with those working in The Theatre (NURSES),
22 Blooming types (NARCISSI-) of heads on silver maple (heads on ‘Silver Maple’ = -SM) (NARCISSISM) produced in self-interest (NARCISSISM),
24 Borders with white turnip (borders with ‘WHite turnIP’ = WHIP) and birch (WHIP),
25 Feel a bit (feel a bit) unbalanced (= anagram indicator) (feel a bit = FLEA BITE) in what’s an irritable spot (FLEA BITE),
26 Lippy type (rim = R-IM-) welcomes, for example (e.g. = -EG-), English (-E) (REGIME) government in power (REGIME).
Down:
1 Shocked (AGHAST) by a (A-) middleman (middle ‘mAn’ = a) replacing order (o) in spirit (‘ghOst’ – replace ‘o’ with ‘a’ = -GHAST) (AGHAST)
2 For the locals (locals/bars/inns = INNS), it’s not good (sin) to lose The Head (‘sin’ to lose the head = IN-) from the school (the ‘National School’ =-NS) (INNS),
3 It’s a (it’s a) novel (= anagram indicator) (it’s a = TAS-I) about worker (-MAN-) from area (-A) (TASMANIA) in Australia (TASMANIA),
4 Sentry left stony broke (‘sentry’ left ‘stony broke’ = obok = BOOK) by reserve (BOOK),
5 Daniel (Dan) upset (= anagram indicator) (Dan = N-DA) over Eva (-EVA-) (NEVADA) in a precious state? (NEVADA is known as The Silver State),
6 It’s short (t) notice (‘advert’ without ‘t’ = ADVER-) to take exam again (resit) turning up (= reversal indicator) (resit = -TISER) (ADVERTISER) for job in promotions (ADVERTISER),
7 Later (Later! = TOODLE-OO) all over the place? (= anagram indicator) Toledo (Toledo = TOODLE-), Oxford (-O-) and Ring! (-O) (TOODLE-OO),
13 A noble type (ARISTOCRAT) of retiring (= reverse indicator) sailor (tar = -RAT) on hammock (cot = -TOC-) at navel address (Sir = -RIS-) on Midway (mid ‘way’ = A-) (ARISTOCRAT)
14 Goes to sea (SAILS) with Melissa without me (‘Melissa’ without ‘me’ = lissa = SAILS),
16 It’s more than likely (PROBABLE) it’s for a (-A-) lawyer (-BL-) involved in inquiry (probe = PROB-E) (PROBABLE),
17 Damn (damn) boss (= anagram indicator) (damn = -ANDM-) consumed by local joke (local ‘joke’ = L-ARK) (LANDMARK) – you or I would have seen that coming from a distance (LANDMARK),
19 Get money for chips (CASH IN) produced by unreliable (= anagram indicator) chains (chains = CASH IN),
21 It’s a mystery (ENIGMA) to flipping (= reverse indicator) Russell (George William Russell known as AE = E-A) consuming top malt (top ‘Malt’ = -M-) spirit? (gin = -NIG-) (ENIGMA),
23 No wheat in white meat? (no ‘wheat’ in ‘white meat’ = itme = ITEM) That comes as a piece of news! (ITEM),
24 Cost of employing one staff member (WAGE) to remove filth from white flag (remove ‘filth’ from ‘white flag’ = weag = WAGE).