No 10078, Tuesday 15 Feb 11, Cryptonyte

Online edition says Spiffytrix, print says Cryptonyte... Stylewise this is Cryptonyte.

ACROSS
8   - To a lesser extent north pole leaves Napoleon confused (comparatively short ruler) (2,1,7,5) - {nON Apole*} {SMALLER SCALE}
10 - Narrate scriptures in the end to get well almost fully (7) - {RECOUp}{NT}
11 - Wonderful piano note, it's relative (7) - {GRAND}{AD} (To be read with 12A before seeing the picture below it!!!) (Addendum - {GRAND}{P}{A} - See comments)
12 - Romeo you and daughter run into by the road (4) - {ST}{U}{D}

13 - Reduced the load when thin edge cracked (9) - {L}{IGHTENED*} L for load?
15 - Remedy that might give a guitarist withdrawal symptoms? (7) - {NO}{STRUM}
17 - Parade held against the ruler (7) - {M{ON}ARCH}
19 - Tennis is played a lot here, mind elbow injury (9) - WIMBLEDON*
21 - Want massage I say (4) - NEED(~knead)
24 - Can be carried to the counter (7) - {TO}{TABLE}
25 - Understand the truth about a great boxer's energy (7) - {RE}{ALI'S}{E} My COD
26 - They made the first capital investment in Italy (7,3,5) - ROMULUS AND REMUS [CD]
DOWN
1   - Pursue someone to accept love, in short (5) - {C{O}URT}
2   - Mother's firm, time to get a lucky charm (6) - {MA'S}{CO}{T}
3   - Smoke on the side of the road, taking hand off for a mile (8) - S(-h+m)MOULDER
4   - Salesman titled crazy due to a spark of insanity (1,6,7) - A LITTLE MADNESS*
5   - Crooked worker's age, sex, location noted down at first (6) - {A}{S}{L}{ANT}
6   - Store a bit of drug (ecstasy) inside for a pothead? (8) - {GAR{D}{E}NER} Can a gardener be called a pothead?
7   - Rave review on “Artistry of Hands” in the galleries (9) - {VERA*}{NDAHS*}
9   - Busy tone on the phone? It may be a sign that one's unavailable (10,4) -  ENGAGEMENT RING [DD]
14 - Toss won, Mr. Harry creates a blizzard (9) - SNOWSTORM*

16 - Signs unknown politician put in road, nothing makes sense initially (8) - {S{Y}{MP}T}{O}{M}{S}
18 - Agree to put in name, tag “fresh, without milk” (3-5) - {NO{N}-D}{AIRY}
20 - Judges defamation suits with a proxy for one (6) - L(-i+a)ABELS 
22 - A gem in cryptic puzzle (6) - ENIGMA*
23 - Jack perhaps to trump ace coming in (5) - {BE{A}ST}

GRID

No 10077, Monday 14 Feb 11, Spiffytrix

Had an error in blogger, had to redo the whole CW,  today so no links and photo's so as to meet deadline
PANGRAM day today. Spiffy has started off with the unusual letters on the edges.
ACROSS
8   - Care a bit about agents (8) - BACTERIA*
9   - Erode American and European Union's power (3,2) - {US}{E} {U}{P}
10 - Wife's sick leave (4) - {W}{ILL}
11 - Checks what's happening across the ship (10) - {THWARTS}{HIP}
12 - Ban in favour of swinging daughter (6) - {FOR}{BI}{D}
14 - Range is maximum at the poles (8) - LATITUDE [CD]
15 - Examine retired editor's underwear (7) - {DE<-}{BRIEF}
17 - Not one medicine can be used for this disease (7) - ENDEMICi*
20 - Nizam in Darjeeling has kidnapped Indian landlord (8) - ZAMINDAR [T]
22 - Rock made of barium and sodium chloride? (6) - {BA}{SALT}
23 - Socialising when the web is operational? (10) - {NET}{WORKING}
24 - It's a terrible custom (4) - SATI* and &lit as well. My COD
25 - Two sons have a healthy food (5) - SALAD Anno pending (Addendum - {S}{A}{LAD} - See comments)
26 - Female loo in New York's in a shambles due to this pest (5,3) - {ONION (F)LY*}

DOWN
1   - Pronounced change ‘coz it's swollen (8) - (~vary){VARI}{COSE}(~coz)
2   - Not even Tamil's hard at first like this language (1,1,1,1) -{H}{TaMiL}
3   - Latin model left shaken after kiss that's obscene (1-5) - {X}-{RAT(-t-l)ED}
4   - At first Queen's amazed with West Asia's lilting indigenous music (7) - {Q}{A}{W}{W}{A}{L}{I} (Typo corrected)
5   - Cooking technique of a posh sailor's good initially (2,6) - {A}{U} {G}{RAT}{IN} Where does IN come from?
6   - The rich and fashionable gush in front of Gridman, Neyartha, Sankalak etc? (3-7) - {JET}-{SETTERS}
7   - At university, turn against the flow (6) - {UP}{WIND}
13 - Confused bachelor will learn what kept the European city divided (6,4) - {B}{ERLIN WALL*}
16 - The Spanish artist attended parties at a fantastic place (2,6) - {EL} {DO}{RA}{DO}
18 - I would allow a liberal king to prattle (4,4) - {I'D}{LE T}{A}L}{K}
19 - Indian telecom regulator's cut rent for renegade (7) - {T.R.A.I}{TORn}
21 - Discrimination in wage is maddening (6) - AGEISM [T]
22 - Huge collection of locks with one of 6? (3,3) - {BIG} {WIG}
24 - Crimes happening on board ship (4) - {S{IN}S}

GRID