Across:
7. I would get viral infection first when in a state of flux! (5)
8. Rambled to second machine tool on left (9)
9. Plant drug on doctor and journalist (5)
10. Mad to leave Ritz’s racy new arrangement (4 5)
12. Control grey stove in transition (11)
16. This may help to see part of stolen shipment (4)
17. Exhaust new dancer initially after second workout (5)
18. Don’t start rap groove! (4)
19. One method to track food waste (7 4)
22. Huge drink gets room spinning round you and me! (9)
24. Halts roadworks (5)
25. Waiting to be performing with new band in squalid place (2 7)
26. Liberated source of supply around middle of March (5)
Down:
1. Confuses heartless Mum to steer into passageways (9)
2. Contrariwise five get top mark after rotten service! (4 5)
3. Narrow space for small bed at Versailles (4)
4. Trusted Dad’s new composition to be featuring celebs (4-7)
5. Weaponise again to back the start of militarism (5)
6. Grab one Zulu in diocese (5)
11. Certain guys form team outside area (11)
13. 22 ogre ate just a portion of this (5)
14. Transport bewildered parent to river (9)
15. More messy to get rid of support (9)
20. Scots lad is held by the French for climbing vine (5)
21. Orifice used to hum badly? (5)
23. 22 topless boss (4)
Solution:
=F=V===S=S=R=S=
FLUID=BLATHERED
=U=C===I=A=A=I=
EMBED=STIRCRAZY
=M=V=M===S=M=E=
SOVEREIGNTY====
=X=R=A=R=U=E=S=
LENS=SPEND=NOCK
=S=A=U=A=D=R=R=
====FRITTERAWAY
=L=M=E===D=P=P=
GINORMOUS=STOPS
=A=U=E=M===U=I=
ONSTANDBY=FREED
=A=H=T=O===E=R=
Name: Puzzle 454
Author: by Steve Townsend

Annos-Across:
7. FLU (= viral infection) ID (= I would)
8. B (= second) LATHE (= machine tool) RED (= left)
9. E (= drug) MB (= doctor) ED (= journalist)
10. STIR CRAZY (anag RITZ'S RACY)(anagrind = new arrangement)
12. SOVEREIGNTY (anag GREY STOVE IN)(anagrind = transition)
16. Hidden in wordplay
17. S (= second) PE (= workout) N D(ancer)
18. (-K)NOCK
19. FRITTER (= food) A (= One) WAY (= method)
22. GIN (= drink) ORMO (anag ROOM)(anagrind = spinning round) US (= you and me)
24. ST (= road) OPS (= works)
25. ON (= performing) ST [ANDB (anag BAND)(anagrind = new)] Y (= squalid place)
26. F [(Ma)R(ch)] EED (= source of supply)
Annos-Down:
1. FLU [M(u)M] OX (= steer) ES (= passageways)
2. V (= five) ICE VERS [anag SERVICE)(anagrind = rotten) A (= top mark)
3. S(mall) LIT (= bed at Versailles)
4. STAR-STUDDED (anag TRUSTED DAD'S)(anagrind = new composition)
5. REAR (= back) M(ilitarism)
6. SE [I(= one) Z(ulu)] E (= diocese)
11. MEA [SURE (= certain) MEN (= guys)] T (anag TEAM)(anagrind = form)
13. Hidden in wordplay (22 = 22 across)
14. ENRAPT (anag PARENT)(anagrind = bewildered) URE (= river)
15. SCRAP (= get rid of) PIER (= support)
20. L [IAN (= Scots lad)] A (= the French)
21. MOUTH (anag TO HUM)(anagrind = badly)
23. (-J)UMBO (22 = 22 across)
Defs-Across:
7. in a state of flux
8. Rambled
9. Plant
10. Mad to leave
12. Control
16. This may help to see
17. Exhaust
18. groove
19. waste
22. Huge
24. Halts
25. Waiting
26. Liberated
Defs-Down:
1. Confuses
2. Contrariwise
3. Narrow space
4. featuring celebs
5. Weaponise again
6. Grab
11. area
13. 22
14. Transport
15. More messy
20. climbing vine
21. Orifice
23. boss