I’d write more but I’m falling asleep on a coach here, time to hit the hay. Will check in again in a few hours…
ACROSS
1 Munro: it’s associated with Karakoram mountain (4)
SAKI – S.A. [it] is associated with K1 [Karakoram mountain]. “Saki” being the pen-name of H.H. Munro.
3 Team’s holding line after defender’s lapses (10)
BACKSLIDES – SIDE’S [team’s] “holding” L [line] after BACK [defender]
10 Grandees, lionised, holding back something for the press? (7)
OILSEED – hidden reversed in {gran}DEES LIO{nised}. Something for the oil-press, not the media.
11 Not getting off with a fine, Luke banged up (7)
WAKEFUL – W A [with | a ] + (F LUKE*) [“banged up”]
12 A so-so assignment has the makings of a drama (6,9)
SAMSON AGONISTES – (A SO-SO ASSIGNMENT*). 17th century play by Milton.
13 Bluebottle returning note, buzzing round rook (6)
ROZZER – reverse all of RE ZZ O R [note | buzzing | round | rook]. Bluebottle as in copper.
14 Savagery of attack outside centre recalled, years later (8)
FEROCITY – FIT [attack] “outside” reversed CORE [centre], Y [years] later
17 Suspend for not behaving predictably? (8)
PROROGUE – PRO ROGUE [for | not behaving predictably]
18 Victor, at fifty-five, retired a banker in Europe (6)
VLTAVA – reversed V AT LV [Victor | at | 55] + A. Czech river that you probably knew via the Smetana piece.
21 Deputy to support Home Rule (6-2-7)
SECOND-IN-COMMAND – SECOND [to support] + IN [home] + COMMAND [rule]
23 Salt beef nearly everyone had for lunch? (7)
OXALATE – OX [beef] + AL{l} [“nearly” everyone] + ATE [had for lunch]
24 Something to drive down travel cost — consider getting picked up? (7)
FAIRWAY – homophone of FARE WEIGH [travel cost | consider]. A golf drive.
25 Ireland portrayed in film: golf making brief appearance (10)
FLICKERING – ERIN [Ireland] “portrayed” in FLICK G [film | golf]
26 Old nursemaid having Mary wash regularly (4)
AYAH – {m}A{r}Y {w}A{s}H
DOWN
1 Northerner of twenty briefly without employment (7)
SCOUSER – SCOR{e} [twenty “briefly”] “without” USE [employment]
2 Hummer carrying Buddhist priest in US city (9)
KALAMAZOO – KAZOO [hummer] “carrying” LAMA [Buddhist priest]. Splendidly named city in SW Michigan.
4 A company boss with drive taking unrewarding roles? (2-4)
AM-DRAM – A M.D. [a | company boss] with RAM [drive]. Unrewarding in the financial sense of the word.
5 Crawled from floor, weight dragged behind (8)
KOWTOWED – K.O. [floor] + W [weight] + TOWED [dragged behind]
6 Dismissive remark from impolite Turk left one reeling (4,2,2,4,2)
LIKE IT OR LUMP IT – (IMPOLITE TURK L I*) [“reeling”]
7 Volunteers ate up: prepare for Jack to? (5)
DEFAT – reverse of T.A. FED [volunteers | ate up]. Reference to the “Jack Sprat could eat no fat” nursery rhyme.
8 Notice the cat’s come in, trying to attract attention? (7)
SPLASHY – SPY [notice] that LASH [the cat] has come in
9 Understand individuals’ private advocate is to be avenged (3,4,3,4)
GET ONE’S OWN BACK – GET [understand] + ONES’ [individuals’] + OWN [private] + BACK [advocate]
15 I grasp promotion technique poorly (2,1,3,3)
IN A BAD WAY – I NAB AD WAY [I | grasp | promotion | technique]
16 Christian maybe largely saying nothing smart at any time (8)
MUTINEER – MUT{e} [“largely”, saying nothing] + IN [smart] + E’ER [at any time]. MUTINEER was a write-in from Christian – that’s Fletcher Christian, master’s mate on the Bounty.
17 Misrepresent pops as very loud (4,3)
PASS OFF – PA’S SO FF or something quite close to that… I think?
19 Aged Scottish hag heard in the theatre (7)
ALDWYCH – homophone of AULD WITCH [aged Scottish | hag]. A famous theatre in London’s West End.
20 Upset charming hosts of EU council (6)
ECOFIN – reversed NICE [charming] “hosts” OF. Economic and Financial Affairs Council.
22 This S American native no good for a film (5)
COATI – add NG [no good] to the S American native to get COATING [a firm]
Although SAKI was my second one in, I didn’t see the very clever wordplay for it- have always meant to read his short stories but just have never got around to it.
Afraid that my near 70 minutes included having to confirm through references the play at 12a, the salt at 23a, the theatre at 19d, the copper at 13a, the Euro council of financial ‘gurus’ at 20d and the ono-paid actor at 4d. I did remember the musical Michigan city at 2d and the Czech river though (even not knowing the Smetana music).
Finished down the bottom with COATI, PROROGUE and that ECOFIN the last few in.