1-across – Not favouring an animal oriental folk chain : CONCATENATION

10-across – Dismantled ship and stole booty : THESPOILS

11-across – Better have the last word with the dunderhead! : AMEND

12-across – The underworld guy’s seen around these days : HADES

13-across – Popular European city church getting down to the basics : INESSENCE

14-across – A place fit only for pigs occupied by exceptionally lean man : STANLEY

16-across – Had in mind a trifle : THOUGHT

18-across – There’s no extension for this little beast! : MANXCAT

20-across – Comes to an agreement over the seating : SETTLES

21-across – A roundabout means of gaining admission : TURNSTILE

23-across – Insist 150 go by train : CLAIM

24-across – Well-qualified persons, really tip-top people : MASAI

25-across – A carer – a wreck, it appears – staying in a health resort : SAMARITAN

26-across – An old bird’s cheaper to X-ray, surprisingly! : ARCHAEOPTERYX

2-down – In debt yet again and tense as a result : OVERDRAWN

3-down – Holds one’s own ceremonial robes : COPES

4-down – Three altogether attempt to impound it in error : TRINITY

5-down – An uplifting fragrance now in production : NASCENT

6-down – Send a car? : TRANSPORT

7-down – A poem about Greek theatre : ODEON

8-down – Still synchronised : ATTHESAMETIME

9-down – Publicity drive meant set being replaced : ADVERTISEMENT

15-down – A source of amusement to those in love : LOCKSMITH

17-down – The spirit shown by everyone involved in bridge : GALLANTRY

19-down – Examines a note presented in an Italian port : TRIESTE

20-down – Get excited having a drink with the players inside : STEAMUP

22-down – Revolting individual given a step up : RISER

23-down – Showing concern without opposing cut : CARVE

1-across – Instigate frolic in gym : PROMPT

5-across – Chosen people get odd mixture of gold and silver : ELECTRUM

9-across – Old man going to youth centre with material for the people : POPULACE

10-across – Plump sprite, backward and certainly not forward : FLESHY

11-across – Thrilling hail storm takes former sailor outside : EXHILARATING

13-across – North African grouse may be found here : MOOR

14-across – Most severe novelist and story teller starts : STERNEST

17-across – Hiccups evidently turned back some explorer : VESPUCCI

18-across – Florida resort without a role for a soprano : MIMI

20-across – Faculty for understanding news : INTELLIGENCE

23-across – Seafood swindle requires private investigator : SCAMPI

24-across – In the morning wild boar is heavenly food : AMBROSIA

25-across – Alienate sergeant in mess : ESTRANGE

26-across – Underworld before Underground alternative : EREBUS

2-down – Redevelopment in old town starts civil disorder : RIOT

3-down – Spread out Parmesan, lacking an inferior cheese : MOUSETRAP

4-down – Go round tree that’s meretricious : TRASHY

5-down – Evangelism after presenting a form of immortality : EVERLASTINGFAME

6-down – Compulsory measure for about a month : ENFORCED

7-down – Deal with entertainment paid for by another : TREAT

8-down – Release a part? That’s not generous : UNHANDSOME

12-down – Astronomer given work in nuclear research centre is going round Cambridge University : COPERNICUS

15-down – First anaesthetised individual – absorbing hospital drama : NUMBERONE

16-down – Type of onion ring found in the promised land : SCALLION

19-down – Empower leaderless men on revolutionary island : ENABLE

21-down – Name of man in tree by East River : ELMER

22-down – Some petunias raised by indigenous Japanese people : AINU

7-across – Ape one ahead in this party line diversion : FOLLOWMY

9-across – See 7 : LEADER

10-across – Freewheeling fitness if carbon fuel runs out : SELF

11-across – See 10 : SUFFICIENT

12-across – Championship golfers using clubs or bats in here? : BELFRY

14-across – Escapes from the open prisons, say : LEAKAGES

15-across – Such capability restoring Nike”s street cred. O blast! : SECOND

17-across – See 15 : STRIKE

20-across – Random numerals open branch briefly with this? : PERSONAL

22-across – See 20 : NUMBER

23-across – Are they bound to march by the Foyle? : APPRENTICE

24-across – See 22 : BOYS

25-across – But, when entering the ring, one’s from Lesotho : BASUTO

26-across – His career is doubly dangerous : STUNTMAN

1-down – Unplaced Texan horse out of the melee almost : HOMELESS

2-down – Establishment figure on the staff : CLEF

3-down – Discursive wit restored to the pen : TWISTY

4-down – Like Tichborne’s Orton, one loudly crying out : CLAIMANT

5-down – Plastic aim destroyed the system? Hardly! : CAPITALISM

6-down – Death-defying 13 : SEANCE

8-down – Lock out noisy green woodpecker : YAFFLE

13-down – But does the chattering class come to the point here? : FOCUSGROUP

16-down – Failing to heal bone or scab in such an establishment : NONUNION

18-down – Joe Blogg’s morality? : EVERYMAN

19-down – I’d turn up in Spanish Eyes, they say, for These You Have Loved : OLDIES

21-down – Observing one in a slip up : ESPIAL

22-down – Mole betraying no Scots against us : NAEVUS

24-down – It’s off south-west Scotland: except it’s east : BUTE