Across:
8 A glass of whiskey (LIQUOR) for all sorts (Liquorice All Sorts) without ice? (‘liquorice’ without ‘ice’ = liquor = LIQUOR),
9 Reports (WRITINGS) of woman (W-) from Rising (rising) organising (= anagram indicator) (rising = RI-INGS) around square (-T- square) (WRITINGS)
10 Open 11 across (open ‘sink or swim’ = SINK) or go down (SINK),
11 How you might cope in 3 down (how you might cope in ‘Irish Sea’ is SINK OR SWIM) will determine how successful you are going overseas (SINK OR SWIM),
12 Picks up (SENSES) germ from messengers (‘germ’ from ‘messengers’ = essens = SENSES),
14 Julian (Julian) travels (= anagram indicator) (Julian = JUN -AIL) around kilometre (km = -K M-) (JUNK MAIL) for post no one wants (JUNK MAIL),
15 Needy (POOR) worker (HAND-) from 9 across, for the most part (‘writings’ for the most part = -WRITING) (POOR HANDWRITING), is hard to read (POOR HANDWRITING),
18 The job of the drug dealer (DISPENSE) to give out (DISPENSE),
20 Serves up (= reverse indicator) takeaway (less = -SSEL) with starters of earthy vegetables (starters of ‘Earthy Vegetables’ = ev = VE-) (VESSEL) found in 3 down for instance (VESSEL found in ‘Irish Sea’),
22 Gives the wrong directions (MISADVISES) to confuse (= anagram indicator) Miss Davies (Miss Davies = MISADVISES),
24 What you might do in 3 down (you might ‘SWIM’ in ‘Irish Sea’) to get phone card (SIM card = S-IM) containing tungsten (tungsten symbol = -W-) (SWIM),
25 Heading to Canada (heading to ‘Canada’ = C-) and America (USA), going over (= reverse indicator) (USA = -ASU-) something like the ocean (salty) without first (s) (‘salty’ without ‘s’= -ALTY) (CASUALTY) requiring medical attention (CASUALTY),
26 Removing lads from studio flat (removing ‘lads’ from ‘studio flat’ = tuioft = OUTFIT) leads to suit (suit = OUTFIT).
Down:
1 Quarter (DIVIDE) of the papers (-ID- papers) found in sleazy bar (dive = DIV-E) (DIVIDE),
2 Fragment of Tacitus known (fragment of ‘taciTUS Known’ = TUSK) to one of those long in the tooth (TUSK),
3 In a manner of speaking (IRISH), view (see) (see) on the radio (= homophone indicator) (‘see’ = ‘SEA’) (IRISH SEA) divides those in Belfast and Stranraer (IRISH SEA),
4 Couple (TWIN) of characters in The West Wing (characters in ‘the wesT WINg’ = TWIN),
5 Wash one’s hands of (DISOWN) detectives (Dis – DIS-) in Ulster (Down) losing the head (d) (‘Down’ losing the ‘d’ = -OWN) (DISOWN),
6 The crafty lads (FIRST MATES) produced by Adam and Eve (FIRST MATES),
7 This will give you a start (IGNITION) or get you fired? (IGNITION),
13 The cost bangers (SCRAP VALUE) and heads of Savoy cabbage (heads of ‘Savoy Cabbage’ = SC-) from Knock (-RAP) to hold in high esteem (VALUE) (SCRAP VALUE),
14 Turned around (= reverse indicator), for example (e.g. = -GE), bolt (-U- bolt) in record player (DJ) (DJ = J-D-) (JUDGE) to assess (JUDGE),
16 The first (ORIGINAL) Generalissimo seems out of it? (‘Generalissimo’ seems out of it/without ‘seems’ = gnraliio = ORIGINAL),
17 It’s what a classy type is expected to do (REVISION) right (R-) with energy (-E-) and imagination (-VISION) (REVISION),
19 Newton (N-) gets to solve (solve) problem (= anagram indicator) (solve = -OVELS) (NOVELS) in the library (NOVELS),
21 Get the answer from (ELICIT) Joy (Felicity) cutting margins (‘f+y’) (‘felicity’ losing ‘f+y’ = ELICIT),
23 Iran isn’t part of the Assyrian (‘Iran’ isn’t part of the ‘Assyrian’ = assy = SAYS) States (SAYS),
24 Backs (= reverse indicator) bank’s stocks and shares (banks ‘STocks and sharES’ = stes = SETS) in places (SETS).