5  Air mail letter from a gamer or lunatic (8)

 8  Attack dog beginning to nip after operation (6)

10 Star of Last Tango in Halifax – not, at first, a Northern nymph (6)

11 Suave type I met, mingling with Soho characters (8)

12/13 Artier men get confused – by my work? (4,8)

14 Cut the top of tablets for ailments (4)

16 Concerning information about nauseous person’s appearance (5)

17 Reportedly kisses muscles (4)

19/20 Painter’s worsening viral load – sad! (8,4)

23 Currently appearing, oddly dreary? Hardly surprising (2,6)

24 Work with alien facilities (6)

25 When Lent’s ending – always around ... this time? (6)

26 Celebs’ joint … this will get them very high (8)

 2  Eat before taking overdose (5)

 3  Take crayon to ruin cool work (6,2)

 4  Light brown coal doesn’t start (6)

 6  Poem about theatre (5)

 7  Wise executives get into dining-hall forums (7,6)

 9  Work to support old PM taking small break for fuel (3,4)

15 Only uncertainty articulated, having abandoned ones principles (4,3)

16 Top wine narc found mixed with drug (5,3)

18 They’re used to pick uplifting tune at end of college ceremony (8)

19 Work hard on a new motto (6)

21 It’s as good as a mile off (5)

22 Book sadly opened by tyrannical leader (5)