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Four sticky ones:
25A. Richard Adams, for instance, is beginning this after turning over leaf. A?i???i?t. Animalist?
26A. Play casually on the river Lune's banks. T?e?d?e
23D. Termination of conflict with Russia a hot issue. .???a. (4)
18A. Attempt to get one's aim in. T?e?d?

Any ideas?

The only one that's straightforward is 18 TRENDY - END in TRY
25 Yes
26 TWEED LE (LunE's banks)
LAVA - end of BALACLAVA?

Do you know of fifteensquared - very helpful on parsing the Guardian, and some others:
http://www.fifteensquared.net/2014/11/04/guardian-26408-otterden/#comment-261146

23d Balac(lava)

Thanks, isme and Chrise , and thanks for the linked website, Chrise.