Across:
8 Set off speed trap (‘set’ off ‘speed trap’ = pedrap = DAPPER) – is that smart? (smart = DAPPER),
9 Doesn’t work (rests = RE-STS) around the greatest (-ALI-) (REALISTS) characters who don’t have any illusions (REALISTS),
10 The opposite of 6 down (difficulty) for the most part (y) (‘difficulty’ without ‘y’ = difficult + opposite of ‘difficult’ = EASY) is not puzzling (EASY),
11 A bash (‘a bash’ = ‘abash’ = DISCOMFORT) in dance club (DISCO) for 1000 (Roman 1000 = -M-) from army post (-FORT) (DISCOMFORT)
12 Manchester United (Man U = MANU-) in this matter (-RE) (MANURE) is synonymous with the health of The Roses (MANURE),
14 Lawless (ANARCHIC) part of the circle (-ARC-) in revolutionary (= anagram indicator) China (China = AN-HIC) (ANARCHIC),
15 21 down (‘insect’ = INSECT) is revolting (REPELLENT) (INSECT REPELLENT) and flighty types are dropping like flies because of it (INSECT REPELLENT),
18 A French (a = UN-) franc (franc), in a manner of speaking (= homophone indicator), (‘franc’ = ‘frank’ = -OPEN-) and English (-E-) old penny (-D) (UNOPENED) still in the box? (UNOPENED),
20 Ship factory has no craft (‘ship factory’ has no ‘craft’ = shipoy = PHYSIO) job for a hands-on type of person having to deal with the strain (PHYSIO),
22 Honey (honey producer = BEE-) and apple producers (TREES) around (= position indicator) church (-CH-) (BEECH TREES) in the forest (BEECH TREES),
24 The Fringe’s backstage pass (the fringes ‘BAckstage paSS’ = BASS) is for member of barbershop quartet (BASS),
25 American (A-) editor’s (editors) novel (= anagram indicator) (editors = -STEROID) (ASTEROID) is out of this world and potentially earth-shattering ASTEROID),
26 Most (k) of the stone (rock) (‘rock without ‘k’ = ROC-) is old (-O-), firm (-CO) (ROCOCO) and typical of an old fussy architectural style (ROCOCO).
Down:
1 Admit Che Guevara hasn’t (‘che guevARA HAS’nt = arahas) upset (= reverse indicator) (arahas = SAHARA) a large part of North Africa (SAHARA),
2 Old lively type (SPRY) of plant (SP-Y) protects end of tuber (end of ‘tubeR’ = -R-) (SPRY),
3 Bank (slope = GRADIENT) examiner gives you this (grade = GRAD-E-) over opening investor’s (opening ‘Investors’ = -I-) good books (New Testament = -NT) (GRADIENT),
4 One of the flowers (IRIS) from Trim (h), in a manner of speaking (‘Irish’ without ‘h’ = IRIS),
5 Sounds like (= homophone indicator) minor profit (minor ‘profit’ = minor ‘prophet’ = Hebrew = -AMOS-) in South Africa (SA = S-A) (SAMOSA) from Indian restaurant snack (SAMOSA),
6 Strain (DIFFICULTY) of pig-headed (DIFFICULT-) male chromosome (-Y) (DIFFICULTY),
7 Is Grant’s (is Grant’s) doctor (= anagram indicator) (is Grant’s = STAR SIGN) Leo? (STAR SIGN)
13 Removing senior from indecent exposure (removing ‘senior’ from ‘indecent exposure’ = decentxpue = UNEXPECTED) that was definitely not foreseen (UNEXPECTED),
14 Ladies’ men missing Isle? (‘ladies men’ missing ‘isle’ = admen = AMEND) Correct! (AMEND),
16 Newish top (‘Newish’ top = N-) on (-ON-) pick-up (-SENSE) (NONSENSE) is rubbish (NONSENSE),
17 Tell a story (expose = EXPOS-E) about old city (-UR-) (EXPOSURE) with a lack of protection (EXPOSURE),
19 Relative (nan = NA-N) admits taking it (it) back (= reverse indicator) (it = -TI-) from Ring (-O-) (NATION) in the country (NATION),
21 Bug (INSECT) popular (IN-) religious community (-SECT) (INSECT),
23 Finishes strike action around redundancies (finishes ‘strikE actioN arounD redundancieS’ = ENDS) and closures (ENDS),
24 Composer (BACH) opens Buenos Aires City Hall (opens ‘Buenos Aires City Hall’ = BACH).