Across:
1 A great deal of (PLENTY) initial pace (initial ‘pace’ = P-) for fast time (-LENT-) at the end of cross-country (at the end of ‘cross-country’ = -Y) (PLENTY),
4 Spoilt (PAMPERED) by raising all (= reverse all indicator) the German (the = der = -RED) tips for educational perfection (tips for ‘educational perfection’ = EP = -PE-) and for those going places (map = PAM-) (PAMPERED),
9 I, for one (Crosaire SETTER), condemned (= anagram indicator) retest (retest = SETTER),
10 Statements (ACCOUNTS) from a (A-) bloodsucker (-COUNT- Dracula) in Civil Service (-C-S) (ACCOUNTS),
12 Came together (COALESCED) for company (CO-), drinks (-ALES-) and starters of cheesy, exquisite dips (starters of ‘cheesy, exquisite dips’ = -CED) (COALESCED),
13 Has no head (t) for that racket (‘tennis’ racket without ‘t’ = ENNIS) in Clare (ENNIS),
14 Welcome (RECEPTION-) to sit (sit = -IST) out (= anagram indicator) (RECEPTIONIST) in the office to answer the phone (RECEPTIONIST),
18 Makes all the decisions (JUDGE AND JURY) for a kangaroo court perhaps (JUDGE AND JURY),
21 Nine leaving Indonesia (‘nine’ leaving ‘Indonesia’ = dosia = ADIOS) or, in a manner of speaking, for one leaving Spain? (ADIOS),
22 Exaggerate (COLOUR-) flu (flu = -FUL) spreading (= anagram indicator) (COLOURFUL) out of the blue, for instance (COLOURFUL),
24 Jack (jack in deck of cards: CARD-) has a (-A-) mother (-MOM) (CARDAMOM) employed by a spice restaurant (CARDAMOM),
25 Crazy (MAD-) Irish race (Irish ‘race’ = rás = -RAS) (MADRAS) from old India (MADRAS),
26 Earl’s spy (earl’s spy = SPARESLY) used (= anagram indicator) infrequently (SPARSELY),
27 Count (CENSUS) wants to know where you live, for instance (CENSUS).
Down:
1 Column (POST-) by joker (-CARD) (POSTCARD) brings news of the travellers (POSTCARD),
2 Lobby (lobby/way in = ENTRANCE) writer (pen) heading off (p) (“pen” without “p” = EN-) from state down under perhaps? (-TRANCE) (ENTRANCE),
3 Subject (THEME) of stepmother throwing strop (‘stepmother’ throwing ‘strop’ = emthe = THEME),
5 Friend (-ALLY) follows (= position indicator) chance (ACCIDENT-) (ACCIDENTALLY) unwittingly (ACCIDENTALLY),
6 Take care of (PROCESSED) writer (= -ED) after (= position indicator) operation (PROCESS-) (PROCESSED),
7 Get away from insurgent (‘get’ away from ‘insurgent’ = insurn = RUN-INS) clashes (RUN-INS),
8 Stop (DESIST) taking trees out of side streets (taking ‘trees’ out of ‘side streets’ = sidest = DESIST),
11 What those in the abbey are doing (those in The Abbey Theatre / ACTING) for the teachers (SCHOOL) (ACTING SCHOOL) and for those taking part in the future? (ACTING SCHOOL),
15 Some old Germans (PRUSSIANS) from port (P-) on the shores of the Black Sea, for example (=-RUSSIANS) (PRUSSIANS),
16 The going rates perhaps (BUS FARES) for what the old conductors used to ask for (BUS FARES),
17 Bikers (CYCLISTS) starting chapter (starting ‘chapter’ = C-) on far side of the country (far side of ‘country’ = -Y-) for leading criminals (leading ‘criminals’ = -C-) with records (-LISTS) (CYCLISTS),
19 Balls (DANCES) in Germany (German domain = .de = D-E-) can (can = -ANC-) change (= anagram indicator) direction (direction south = -S) (DANCES),
20 Is rare (is rare = SIERRA) rock (= anagram indicator) from a range of mountains? (SIERRA),
23 Country (USA-), for example (e.g. = -GE) (USAGE), brings up (= reversal indicator) the matter of consumption (USAGE).