1dn. Postulated topside for a change (7)4dn. Claire's unused man in elite military perhaps? (10) 5dn. Heard spoken (4) 8dn. Commits to accept lad (5,2) 18dn. What you see is what you get for starters (7) 20dn. Shelter a hard retreat (7) 21dn. Brubeck, maybe, up before Her Majesty? The shirker (6) 24dn. Am twice upstream of the Thames (4) 26dn. Standard taken from pillar leaves one sick (3). Sorry no letters. Thanks in advance.