Across:
8 It’s what many people get up to (breakfast CEREAL) in Clare? (CE-) That’s genuine! (-REAL) (CEREAL),
9 Top dog (ALPHA-) to back (-BET) (ALPHABET) for all the characters (ALPHABET),
10 Expanse (BODY) of marl dug out of Lombardy (‘marl’ dug out/missing from ‘Lombardy’ = obdy = BODY),
11 A (A-) retweet (-RT) from speed (drug) merchants (DEALERS) (ART DEALERS) selling forgeries to crafty types perhaps (ART DEALERS),
12 Got along (MADE DO) with party (DO) after (= position indicator) hearing (= homophone indicator) hotel worker (‘maid’ = ‘MADE’) (MADE DO),
14 Audition (TEST) leading thespians (leading ‘Thespians’ = T-) ahead of unit (ahead of ‘Unit’ = -U-) going to Belgium (-BE) (TEST TUBE) – and in that, you will find your solution perhaps? (TEST TUBE),
15 American (A) principal (HEAD) takes class (form) briefly (m) (‘form’ without ‘m’ = FOR) with characters (FIGURES) (A HEAD FOR FIGURES) – the type particularly good at mathematics (A HEAD FOR FIGURES),
18 Wayward (= anagram indicator) angel (angel = LAN-GE) crosses leaders generally under arrest (leaders ‘Generally Under Arrest’ = -GUA-) (LANGUAGE), in a manner of speaking (LANGUAGE),
20 Angelic figure (CHERUB) from revolutionary (CHE-) Russia (-RU-) starting to break (starting to ‘Break’ = -B) (CHERUB),
22 “Broadcast (-AIR) switch (off = OF F-) found in part of The Clock” (face = F- -ACE) (FAIR OF FACE) – Monday’s issue, it’s said (Monday’s child is “FAIR OF FACE ...”),
24 Irishman (GAEL) in Bundesliga eleven (in ‘bundesliGA ELeven’ = GAEL),
25 Nights (nights) out (= anagram indicator) (nights = SH-TING) around Utah (-UT-) (SHUTTING) when business is in the process of closing down (SHUTTING),
26 Jazz (= anagram indicator) hour (hour = -HROU-) in South Dakota? (S-D) (SHROUD) Around one of those getting waked! (SHROUD).
Down:
1 Felt hat (FEDORA) he removed from forehead (‘he’ removed from ‘forehead’ = foread = FEDORA),
2 Wined and dined (fed) setting up (= reverse indicator) (fed = DEF-) Fourth of July (fourth of ‘julY’ = -Y) (DEFY) challenge (DEFY),
3 Go away (CLEAR OFF) with reportedly (= homophone indicator) Sonny (‘Sonny’ = ‘sunny’ CLEAR) on holiday (OFF) (CLEAR OFF),
4 Some laidback (= reverse indicator) incumbent sacked (some laidback ‘incumbenT SACked’ = tsac = CAST) by the players? (CAST),
5 Troubles (UPSETS) supremacists stamping out racism? (‘supremacists’ stamping out ‘racism’ = supets = UPSETS),
6 Stop crossing Swords (CALL A TRUCE) with everyone (-ALL) taken in by accountant (C- A) offering a temporary break from troubles (TRUCE) (CALL A TRUCE),
7 Turns up (= reversal indicator), kind of mail (‘Email’ = -E) sent to accommodation (let = TE-L-) around Offaly town (Birr = -RRIB-) (TERRIBLE) is egregious (TERRIBLE),
13 Add more colour than is required (EXAGGERATE) over egg? (overegg = EXAGGERATE),
14 On the telephone? (= homophone indicator) Kurt (‘Kurt’ = ‘curt’ = TERSE) Blunt! (TERSE),
16 Annoying situation (HEADACHE) as big cheese (HEAD-) on starter of antipasti (starter of ‘Antipasti’ = -A-) isn’t finished (w)? Take a mouthful! (‘chew’ without ‘w’ = -CHE)! (HEADACHE),
17 Become greater (INCREASE) with a sincere (a sincere) appraisal (= anagram indicator) (= INCREASE),
19 Quite familiar (AU FAIT) with American (A-) university (-U) and institute (-I-) in Greece (Greece) it’s said (= homophone indicator) (‘Greece’ = ‘grease’ = FA-T) (AU FAIT),
21 Blown (= anagram indicator) fuse (fuse = -SEFU-) found in university (University of Limerick = U-L) (USEFUL) – how handy is that? (USEFUL),
23 Sample of the natural gases (sample of the ‘naturAL GAses’ = ALGA) found in seaweed (ALGA),
24 Roaming without man (‘roaming’ without ‘man’ = roig = GIRO) of Italian race (GIRO d’Italia).