Across:
8 Turns up (= reverse indicator), country (Oman = -NAMO) yokel provides tip (yokel provides tip = -Y-) for date (D-) (DYNAMO) with energetic figure (DYNAMO),
9 Out (LOOPHOLE) around (= reverse indicator) water feature (pool = LOOP-) on the golf course (-HOLE) (LOOPHOLE),
10 Take camera from peacemaker (Take ‘camera’ from ‘peacemaker’ = peek = PEEK) for a quick look (PEEK),
11 Worries (cares = CARE-S) about one accepting the challenge (-TAKER-) (CARETAKERS) of working with players not in a full-time job (CARETAKERS),
12 To damage (IMPAIR) one (I-) foreign politician (-MP-) is a breeze (-AIR) (IMPAIR),
14 Polish (-SHINE) paper (Sun = SUN-) from the start (= position indicator) (SUNSHINE) could be under a cloud (SUNSHINE),
15 Communiqués (NEWS) from synods (CONFERENCES) (NEWS CONFERENCES) attended by journalists (NEWS CONFERENCES),
18 Course of action (SCHEME-) for writing (from the 3Rs = -R-) introduction to screenplay (introduction to ‘Screenplay’ = -S) (SCHEMERS) for those interested in plot (SCHEMERS),
20 Found in 7 down (TUSCAN found in ‘Florence’), in a manner of speaking (TUSCAN),
22 Pat (RUB-), Bert (bert), Dock (deduct/remove) (‘Bert’ without ‘t’ = -BER) and Bob (bob/nod = DUCK) (RUBBER DUCK) – which one is the childish buoyant type found in Bath? (RUBBER DUCK),
24 Characters in upcoming (= reversal indicator) business obsessed (‘busineSS OBsessed’ = ssob = BOSS) with big cheese (BOSS),
25 Pressure (P-) to receive (receive) order (= anagram indicator) (receive = -ERCEIVE) (PERCEIVE) from judge (PERCEIVE)
26 Wrongly take (NICK-) the Spanish (‘the’ Spanish = -EL) (NICKEL) coin (NICKEL).
Down:
1 Lucy (Lucy) travels (= anagram indicator) (Lucy = LYC-U-) outside Spain (-E-) and Central Germany (central/middle “gerMany” = -M) (LYCEUM) with old school (LYCEUM),
2 Starting to disembark (starting to ‘Disembark’ = D-) from old boat (-ARK) (DARK) without light (DARK),
3 Switch (-ON-) record (rec), recalling (= reverse indicator) (rec = -CER-) in court (CT = C-T-), love (-O) (CONCERTO) for musical composition (CONCERTO),
4 Hustler doesn’t get the (‘hustler’ doesn’t get ‘the’ = uslr = SLUR) false allegation that’s an insult (SLUR),
5 Not hard (MOLTEN) to spy (spy/mole = MOL-E-) over time (-T-) for head of the NKVD (head of the ‘NKVD’ = -N) (MOLTEN),
6 Welcome (SHAKE HANDS) those from school (fish/hake = -HAKE -) with principals having a nice day (principals ‘Having A Nice Day’ = HAND-) in boat (SS = S-S) (SHAKE HANDS),
7 Cross Swords (cross swords/fence = F-ENCE) accommodating head lad (head ‘Lad’ = -L-) or (-OR-) (FLORENCE) girl? (FLORENCE),
13 Give cheek to (ANSWER BACK) 21 down (‘answer’ = ANSWER) and 24 down (‘back’ BACK) (ANSWER BACK),
14 Strongboxes (SAFES) to ship (SS = S-S) containing argon (-A-) and iron (-FE-) (SAFES),
16 Old partner (EX-) provides pointers (clues = -CLU-ES) over opening delis (opening ‘Delis’ = D-) (EXCLUDES) and bars (bars/prohibits = EXCLUDES),
17 Serving up (= reverse indicator) drink (water) with no head (w) (‘water’ without ‘w’ = ater = RETA-) in The Palace? (-KING) (RETAKING) Or doing it again as a test! (RETAKING),
19 Listen secretly (EARWIG), for example (e.g. = E-G), around American (-A-) leaders retweeting wrong information (leaders ‘Retweeting Wrong Information’ = -RWI-) (EARWIG),
21 In response (ANSWER) to backing (= reverse indicator) Rea (Rea = A-ER) touring New South Wales (-NSW-) (ANSWER),
23 Took advantage of (USED) student letting off TNT (‘student’ letting off ‘TNT’ = sude = USED),
24 King Cobra has no groin (‘King Cobra’ has no ‘groin’ = kcba = BACK) or spinal column (BACK).