No 14176, Thursday 16 May 2024, Crescent

Solution to 12A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only by a non-regular / novice commenter, with proper annotation. Those who have answered earlier in the week, please give others a chance.

Open for anyone to answer, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS

8   Old chaps come again to some empty resort (8) RECOURSE {REC{O}UR}{SomE}

9   Man facing a fellow in direct confrontation (4-2) HEAD-ON {HE}{A}{DON}

10 A cover, like over fruit (6) SAPOTA {A}{TOP}{AS}<=

11 Monk Penang discharged as fake in Malaysian villages (8) KAMPONGS {MONK+Pe..nG+AS}*

12 Contact lines for every minister (8) ?R?A?H?R ()Addendum - PREACHER {P{REACH}ER} - See comments)

14 Selection of exotic liqueurs for exclusive group (6) CLIQUE [T]

15 Police vault contains case of narcotics and drugs taken during seizures (15) ANTICONVULSANTS {VAULT+CONTAINS+Na...cS}*

18 Stop moving decorative wall panel in delivery (6) FREEZE (~frieze)

20 Mowing is extremely critical having made a change to yard (8) SCYTHING SC(-a+y)YTHING

22 A new leg, map out strategy (4,4) GAME PLAN {A+N+LEG+MAP}*

24 Boldly face animal edging back to rear (6) BREAST {B{reaR}EAST}

25 Liberal habits America leads in without exception (6) ALWAYS {L}{WAYS}<=>{A}

26 Cobblers earlier spreading rounded piece of leather over foot (8) FOLDEROL  {OLDER}{O}{Le...r}<=>{F}

DOWN

1   Remedy concerning couple (6) REPAIR {RE}{PAIR}

2   High temperature apart, toxic atop volcano (8) COTOPAXI {tOXIC+ATOP}*

3   Explosion covering another, see crackers go (7,4,4) BREATHE ONES LAST {BLAST} over {ANOTHER+SEE}*

4   Jolt for dolt (4) JERK [DD]

5   As I say, my small choices lead to big bucks (8,7)  CHEMICAL SYMBOLS {MY+SMALL+CHOICES+Big}*

6   Spiritual enlightenment I register with sun rising (6) SATORI {I}{ROTA}{S}<=

7   Special gift to satisfy past wish (4,4) LONG SUIT {SUIT}<=>{LONG}

13 With son in tow, cycling across ranges (5) ROVES {S}<=>{(+r)ROVE(-r)}

16 Pick of Nizam's flanks to join forces for the most part (8) NORMALLY {(nizam)N OR M}{ALLY}

17 The least modelled jocks (8) ATHLETES*

19 Always embodying Juliet, a bird (6) EVEJAR {EVE{J}{A}R}

21 Wise old man in fine story (6) NESTOR [T]

23 Inferior nut twisted with force (4) NAFF {FAN<=}{F}

Reference List

Old = O, Fellow = DON, Yard = Y, New = N, Liberal = L, America = A, Foot = F, Concerning = RE, Temperature = T, Sun = S, Son = S, Juliet = J, Force = F