Across:
8 Toolmakers missing a lot ('toolmakers' missing 'a lot' = omkers = SMOKER) for a device that keeps the bees away (SMOKER),
9 Sounds like (= homophone indicator) one of the crew in 2 down (one of the crew in ‘Skye’ = ‘sky’ = AIRWOMAN) is a flighty type (AIRWOMAN),
10 Prepare (MAKE) starter of 11 across (starter of ‘make amends’ = MAKE),
11 Go through purgatory (MAKE AMENDS) opening 15 across (opening ‘make alterations’ = MAKE) for updates (AMENDS) (MAKE AMENDS),
12 Guard house (guardhouse = PRISON) and park (P-) for knight (Sir) raised (= reverse indicator) (Sir = -RIS-) around (= reverse indicator) centre of Grenoble (around centre of ‘greNOble’ = no = -ON) (PRISON),
14 Victory (WIN-) and draw (-D) for First Fifteen (first ‘Fifteen’ = F-) after (= positional indicator) losing the first (w) friendly (‘warm’ without ‘w’ = -ARM) (WIND FARM) – one can generate a lot of energy from that (WIND FARM),
15 What a man of the cloth might do (MAKE ALTERATIONS) to produce (MAKE) conversions (ALTERATIONS) (MAKE ALTERATIONS),
18 Hemmed (STITCHED) in – small songbird (-TIT-) caught (-C-) in outbuilding (shed = S-HED) (STITCHED),
20 Plump (FLESHY) for new (= anagram indicator) shelf (shelf = FLESH-) with sturdy back (‘sturdY’ back = -Y) (FLESHY),
22 Holds water (MAKES SENSE) in school (-S) behind (= position indicator) 10 across (‘make’ = MAKE-) – site (site) report (= homophone indicator) (‘site’ = ‘sight’ = SENSE) (MAKES SENSE),
24 Knocks back (= reversal indicator) strong liquor (marc = CRAM) in study at the last minute (CRAM),
25 An ursine scratcher (BEAR CLAW) in Carry (BEAR) on Cleo is fairly (half of) (half of ‘CLeo’ = CL-) awful from the start (‘Awful’ from the start = -A-) to begin with (begin ‘With’ = -W) (BEAR CLAW),
26 Is not open (CLOSED) or shut? (CLOSED).
Down:
1 Undermine (IMPAIR) Priam (Priam) raving (= anagram indicator) (Priam = IMPA-R) about Troilus at The Centre ('troIlus' at the centre = -I-) (IMPAIR),
2 Mountainous island (SKYE) in south (S-) Kerry (-KY-) for those on edge (‘thosE’ on edge = -E)? (SKYE),
3 Credit (CR-) one (-I-) showing off (= anagram indicator) Milan (Milan = -MINAL) (CRIMINAL) to The Don (CRIMINAL),
4 Extremes of man-eating shark? (extremes of ‘MAn-eating shaRK’ = MARK) Correct! (MARK),
5 Order it officially (ORDAIN) for new (= anagram indicator) road (road = ORDA-) going up (= reversal indicator) north (NI = -IN) (ORDAIN),
6 Workplace in The House (HOME OFFICE) leading to the foreign government’s department (HOME OFFICE),
7 Chap (MAN-) finds no work (w) in Darwin (Darwin) (‘darWin’ without ‘w’ = -DARIN) (MANDARIN), in a manner of speaking (MANDARIN),
13 Dessert (SWEET-) with essence (-HEART) (SWEETHEART) of honey (SWEETHEART),
14 Hold and use (WIELD) Bond (W-ELD) outside institute (-I-) (WIELD),
16 Material for a drawer in a school (ART PAPER) – the type anyone doing a rough sketch could draw on? (ART PAPER),
17 Building (= anagram indicator) for sale (for sale = AL FRES-O) around castle (-C-) (AL FRESCO) outside (AL FRESCO),
19 Sleuth (sleuth) confused (= anagram indicator) (sleuth = HUSTLE) by what the fraudsters are planning (HUSTLE),
21 First hit (first letter of ‘Hit’ = H-) for The Boss (leader) without a Number One (first letter/ ‘l’)? (‘leader’ without ‘l’ = -EADER) (HEADER) – Another Brick in the Wall (a brick laid at right angles to the face of a wall = HEADER),
23 Report (NEWS) a loner missing from New Orleans (‘a loner’ missing from ‘New Orleans’ = wens = NEWS),
24 Show off (CROW) cycle (C-) chain (chain/line = -ROW) (CROW).