I enjoyed this, a fairly typical Everyman, despite initial technical difficulties, which I find have now been ironed out
Across
1. Long for high praise
Aspire *PRAISE, + &lit?
4. In state, vicious hook having caught the Parisienne mother
Oklahoma *HOOK round LA (‘the’ in French)
+ MA
9. Is to go ashore in Tasmania, perhaps
Island IS + LAND (=’go ashore’)
10. Hit man when given cheek at home
Assassin AS (=’when’) =SASS (=’cheek’ )
+ IN (=’home’)
11. First to test new footwear in musical
Tea for two T(est) + *FOOTWEAR
13. Live with wife in small wooden hollow
Dwell W(ife) in DELL
14. Fascinating period knitting together
Spellbinding SPELL (= ‘period’) + BINDING
18. City in Maine has poster showing lighthouse location
Portland Bill PORTLAND + BILL
The Dorset location of this lighthouse
21.Titled lady losing first two in game of skill
Chess (du)CHESS
22. Bananas in a hot pie for African national
Ethiopian *IN A HOT PIE
24. Culinary herb used in Spanish province, mostly
Tarragon TARRAGON(a), in Catalonia,
Delicious with fish, and in Béarnaise sauce
25. Figure of speech making one inside grin
Simile I in SMILE
I find the word order of the clue a bit odd, though perhaps necessary for the wordplay
26. Tentative, male model visiting social worker
Hesitant HE + SIT + ANT
27. At which one may have served before returning
Tennis cd.
Down
1. A rigorous appraisal dictates changes
Acid test *DICTATES
2. Greatly shocked, European given the sack
Poleaxed POLE + AXED
3. Call round for drummer
Ringo RING + O
5. Sign of betrayal with fatal consequences?
Kiss of death cd.
6. Left group, one used in commercial
Abandoned BAND + ONE in AD
7. Involved story about eastern native
Oyster *STORY round E
For “oyster” = “native”, see the discussion here: http://fifteensquared.net/2010/11/15/guardian-25168-rufus/
8. A service provided by elderly poet
Arnold A + R(oyal) N(avy) + OLD
Presumably, this poet, cultural critic and sage writer:
12. A mass of feathery seeds, lots the wind scattered
Thistledown *LOTS THE WIND
15. Be quick to appear intelligent
Look smart dd.
16. Discord in military unit
Division dd.
17. Battlefield – force touches down without hesitation
Flanders F(orce) + LANDS around ER
19. A short stop
Scotch tichy dd.
20. Bride’s lost in wreck
Débris *BRIDE’S
23.Express an opinion in a shop in Ely
Opine hidden in ‘shOP IN Ely’