Thanks to the setter for another entertaining one!
ACROSS
1 Are pants down? Cringes (5,2)
SUCKS UP – SUCK [are pants] + SUP [down]
5 Primate’s entreaty to stare (3-3)
DOG-APE – or else an injunction: “DO GAPE…”
8 Once needing fare suspended before opening promotion (9)
AHUNGERED – HUNG ERE [suspended | before] “opening” AD
9 Frowned on finding a meal ticket enclosed in letter (3,2)
MAL VU – A L.V. [luncheon voucher] “enclosed in” MU
11 Henry runs to leave bouquet and ritual drink (5)
HAOMA – H + A{r}OMA
12 One maybe inclined to carp over pics I distributed (9)
PISCIVORE – (OVER PICS I*)
13 Juicy extract from a book on bachelor boy is gripping (8)
LABDANUM – A NUM. [book (of the Bible)] on B “gripped by” LAD
15 Calculus authority is getting on with integration finally in paper (6)
AGNESI – AGES, with {integratio}N in, + I [paper]
17 Persist with gas ring setting (6)
CHATON – or CHAT ON [persist with (as in continue to) gas]
19 Scotland’s own rock band with fine welcome in Hamilton, say (8)
HAEREMAI – HAE [Scottish word for “own” (as in “have”)] + R.E.M. + A1
22 Old red mouse, tail lopped by daughter, turned white! (9)
CHEMICKED – CHE [old red (as in Communist)] + MICKE{y} [mouse, “tail lopped”] by D
23 Asian cigarettes from another time originally in double packs (5)
BIDIS – BIS [another time], “packed” by I{n} D{ouble}
24 Having been climbed all over and nagged, casting off chain (5)
IVIED – {ch}IVIED, though what kind of monster wouldn’t spell it “chivvied”?
25 Recent arrival from New York having fled Caucasus state jail briefly (9)
CHECHAQUO – CHECH{ny}A + QUO{d}
26 Keen for network of leaks, perhaps, to be turned over (6)
BEWEEP – reversed PEE WEB. Which is nice!
27 Public place to browse retro artefact enhancing exhibits (7)
NETCAFE – hidden reversed in {art}EFACT EN{hancing}
DOWN
1 Copy’s Catholic, not Orthodox, giving causes for complaint (13)
STAPHYLOCOCCI – (COPY’S CATHOLIC*). Credit where it’s due, that’s a very nice anagrist/anagrind combo.
2 Physicist might fail without dubnium (7)
COULOMB – COUL{d b}OMB
3 Stingily, periodically withheld a set of symbols (5)
SIGLA – S{t}I{n}G{i}L{y} + A
4 Hazards that have turned up separately in world tour (8)
PERIPLUS – PERILS that have reversed UP, non-consecutively, in
5 Smart tips for unexpected upset leading to knockout (6)
DUDISH – Reversed U{nexpecte}D, + DISH [knockout]
6 Drug, eg, I’m taking finally after troubling Victoria’s old dentist (3-6)
GUM-DIGGER – (DRUG EG I’M {takin}G*)
7 Sport for Italy in China being without allies? (7)
PALLONE – PAL [china] + LONE [being without allies]
10 Transmitter of disease in flowers, ten planted in rows opening beyond river (13)
UREDINIOSPORE – 10 “planted” in DINS PORE [rows | opening], beyond URE [rive]
14 In one abode, a frightfully boring family (9)
ANOBIIDAE – (IN I ABODE A*)
16 Health supplement from day one kept in wood dresser at home (8)
DAIDZEIN – D + I in ADZE [wood dresser] + IN
18 Mixed material from answer, something dropped quietly in general (7)
ALEPINE – A + PIN [something dropped quietly] in LEE [general (Robert E.)]
20 African runner furious as required to take in oxygen (7)
MADOQUA – MAD QUA [furious | as required], taking in O
21 One lifting cases in Pensacola, Cody and Kansas? (6)
SKYCAP – reversed P{ensacol}A C{od}Y K{ansa}S, and a very clever semi-&lit, a skycap being an American airport porter
23 Item of underwear, right away, shed, revealing chest (5)
BAHUT – B{r}A + HUT
We’re on a partial lock-down hereabouts, due to the CORONA deliveryman from Wuhan.
But the order of Korean seaweed has finally tipped-up – a fine accompaniment to the Gilbey’s.
If things get any worse I might even be tempted to join you in the latest MCS!