Across
8
Defensive work from a side playing China at first (8)
9
It may keep one warm, although one’s not cool (6)
10
Awful cakes left with nothing on top (4)
11
Cocktail of lime – men add extra designation (which each other across answer has here) (6,4)
12
Cheap old whiskey drunk by Grant (3-3)
14
Artist periodically seeing red frames shows anger (8)
15
Palace of Versailles excursion not finishing soon (7)
17
Fish lie low, oddly, in Hants river (7)
20
Enormity from rogue seen stopping loving gestures (8)
22
Lots disheartened about novel maths theorems (6)
23
Person who has issue receiving letters about diet (10)
24
Republican Party without energy for overhaul (4)
25
Figure Jade knocked back is a greedy so-and-so (6)
26
Handle thief following specific way of working (8)
Down
1
A horny male caught in rain, perhaps Romeo (8)
2
E.g. part of Leicester thoroughfare sheltering home (4)
3
What musicians perhaps did in heavy traffic at the seaside? (6)
4
Rock star’s curse about broken 2 (7)
5
Shopping centre periodically evicted a grimier poet (8)
6
With the current drink, master gets hammered (10)
7
Make a mess of French word for rodent (6)
13
Nigella mixing with men doing some decorating (10)
16
Is very theatrical account welcomed by public school’s head? (8)
18
Son walked awkwardly dressed like a baby (8)
19
Thinks a lot of rising stars meet security guards (7)
21
Statesperson, you heard, thanks Chinese people (6)
22
Shakira, perhaps, or half-cut Lana Turner (6)