Across
8 Go (try) around (swallowing) tale (story) reversed (about) = gelato = dessert
9 Ay (approval) after man (chap) + tar (sailor) = manta ray = fish
10 First letters (heads) of Department At The Egm = date = see (as in take out)
11 Pan (criticise) + option (choice) around c (carbon) + Panopticon = a prison (cooler) built as a circle
12 DDT (insecticide) + I (iodine) x 3 = I did it = admission
14 Buy (acquire) + toilet (facilities) less I (rejected) = Buy to Let = an investment opportunity
15 Anagram (criminal) of “let in large Latin” = a little learning, proveribailly a dangerous thing
18 My around o (nothing) + not on (unacceptable) = monotony = dull routine
20 Rep (form of theatre) + aid (subsidy) reversed = diaper = waste container
22 If you could be seen in camouflage it wouldn’t be working
24 T (tenor) as (playing the role of) K (king) = task = work
25 D (day) + ant (worker) containing E (European) + but (qualification) = debutant = one starting
26 Bully (cow) + even letters (regularly) of pAiReD = coward = wimp
Down
1 Herald (messenger) found in botHER ALDerman
2 Double definition: Lace (delicate fabric); spike = lace (as in spike a drink)
3 Anagram (dislocated) of “hips a lot” = hospital
4 O (love as in nothing) + man (isle of man) = Oman close to the Persian Gulf
5 Small (s) + nappy (another word for diaper) = snappy = stylish (as in snappy dresser)
6 Anagram (rebuilt) of “African oil” = California = US state
7 Noel (Christmas) + op (work) + an all reversed (turn up) = Napoleon = an Emperor
13 Anagram (representation re-presentation) of “Ok to cut odd” = dot co dot uk = the designation for the UK
14 Bay (gulf) containing El (the in Spanish) = Belay = hold off
16 Loop (roll) over aper (one who copies) = Loo paper = which cleans your “end”
17 AU (gold) + die (finish) + NCE (centre letters of concert) = audience = a gathering
19 Double definition; off day = time off work; off day = a time when things are not going well
21 Censure (criticise) less c (conservative) = ensure = guarantee
23 Rt is conventionally a short form of right; pronounced, it sounds like arty = pretentious
24 End letters (vacated) of TwO + WomeN = town = settlement