Across:
8 It’s a risky business (CASINO) for those overseeing student applications (Central Applications Office = CAO = CA-O) admitting error (-SIN-) (CASINO),
9 State (PROCLAIM) of Oscar (-O-) and Charlie (= -C-) consumed by April (April), Rocky (= anagram indicator) (April = PR-LAI-), and Mike (= -M) (PROCLAIM),
10 Starters from grill overcooked or deliberately (starters from ‘Grill Overcooked Or Deliberately’ = GOOD) well done! (GOOD),
11 Material from The Road (MACADAM-) is (is = -I-S-) about American (-A-) (MACADAMIAS) nuts? (MACADAMIAS),
12 Turns up (= reverse indicator), celebrity (name = -E-MAN) welcomes writing (from the 3Rs = -R-) by great (-G-) (GERMAN) European (GERMAN),
14 Making fun (CLOWNING) of those doing a job in Ring? (those working in ‘circus ring’ = CLOWNING),
15 Ne’er-do-wells (GOOD-FOR-NOTHINGS) from 10 across (‘good’ = GOOD-) in favour of (-FOR -) working (= anagram indicator) on nights? (on nights = NOTHINGS) (GOOD-FOR-NOTHINGS),
18 Criminal (= anagram indicator) on trial (on trial = R-LATION) over drugs (-E-) (RELATION) produced by member of La Familia perhaps (RELATION),
20 Refrigerates free gratis (‘refrigerates’ free/without ‘gratis’ = refere = REEFER) in refrigerated lorry locally (REEFER),
22 Losing the first (r) race (‘run’ without ‘r’ = UN-) taught a lesson (-SCHOOLED) (UNSCHOOLED) as if one never learnt anything (UNSCHOOLED),
24 Whopping great (HUGE) sides on the Humber Bridge (sides on the ‘HUmber bridGE’ = HUGE),
25 Quickly taking stock (SCANNING) for Carol (sing = S-ING) inside caught (-C-) with Ann (-ANN-) (SCANNING),
26 Play (= anagram indicator) Andrew (Andrew = WARDEN) Porter (WARDEN).
Down:
1 Sweet talk (CAJOLE) half of (half of) those playing parts (half of ‘CAst’ = CA-) – Juliet (-J-) and Romeo – ultimately (‘romeO’ ultimately = -O-) on short (g) stage (‘leg’ without ‘g’ = -LE) (CAJOLE),
2 Draw a line excluding arena (‘draw a line’ excluding ‘arena’ = dwli = WILD) that’s out of control (WILD),
3 College (C-) at the end of term (end of ‘terM’ = -M-) in Arabian country (Oman = -OM-AN-) has party (-DO) (COMMANDO) for one going on The Missions (COMMANDO),
4 Part of the picture (part of ‘thE PICture’ = EPIC) having a cast of thousands (EPIC),
5 Follows Robin (Robin HOOD-) Ring (-O-) around (-O) (HOODOO) for a bit of devilment (HOODOO),
6 Similar to mandarin (CLEMENTINE) employed in the building industry (cement = C-EMENT-) around lake (-L-) in (-IN-) Spain (-E) (CLEMENTINE),
7 Run into problems unexpectedly (HIT A SNAG) in Knock (HIT) as (A S-) going hoarse (hoarse) by the sound of it (= homophone indicator) (‘hoarse’ = ‘horse’ = -NAG) (HIT A SNAG),
13 What the director did (MADE A SCENE) embarrassed those in public (MADE A SCENE),
14 Could start (‘Could’ start = C-) soon, according to the linesman (-ANON = soon according to the linesman/poet) (CANON), in principle (principle/rule = CANON),
16 Too fastidious (OVERNICE) in the mountain villages and towns of the Maritime Alps above French city? (over Nice = OVERNICE),
17 Chance to play (TURN-) for the county? (-DOWN) (TURNDOWN) No thanks! (TURNDOWN),
19 Important representative (ICONIC) of all the centres of Official Unionist cynicism (all the centres of ‘offICial uniONist cynICism’ = ic+on+ic = ICONIC),
21 Birds (EAGLES) and rat from Great Seal? (‘rat’ from ‘great seal’ = geseal = EAGLES),
23 Sample of parlour’s gelato (sample of ‘parlourS GELato’ = sgel) served up (= reverse indicator) (sgel = LEGS) in portions (portions/stages = LEGS),
24 Difficult (HARD) for daughters to throw out guest (‘daughters’ to throw out ‘guest’ = dahr = HARD).