Lawbreaker by Stick Insect

Puzzle explanation

Each clash is between C and H, representing cold and hot. James Clerk Maxwell devised a thought experiment (first recorded in a letter of 11 December 1867) to show how the Second Law of Thermodynamics might be violated, in which MAXWELL’S DEMON controls a tiny DOOR allowing slower (colder) molecules in a gas to accumulate on one side and faster (hotter) ones on the other. HEAT at 13 across in the right half of the grid indicates the side on which Hs were to accumulate.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Explanation
Across
1 AFAR (se)AFAR(er)
ASPS A + SP + (viciou)S
4 POMADE PO + MADE
ESTEEM EM around (S + TEE)
9 SILENI ((b)ES(t) + (w)IL(d) + (v)IN(e)) *
INSTAR STRAIN *
10 RIMA AMIR <
SHAH HAS * + H(ereditary)
11 HASHING HAG around SHIN
DUVETYN DUVET + Y(ar)N
13 HEAT HE + AT
ENEW E(xcels) N(onetheless) E(nds) W(ith)
14 ACCELERATOR PRINCIPLE (PRICE RATIO PER CELL CAN) *
THE THIN END OF THE WEDGE (HEN FEED TO GET HEN WITH + D) *
18 DEAR 3 meanings
MAIL M + AIL
22 BELIEVE BE(n) + LIEVE
PROBALL PRO + BALL
23 NECK 2 meanings
ETHE ETHE(l)
24 SHEWEL SHE + WEL(l)
HIDDEN D in HIDE + N
25 ERIACH ARCHIE *
MICMAC I in MCM + AC
26 CYST (Lu)CY ST(oner)
DORS DO(do) + RS
Down
1 ASCI A + SCI
AIDE A + IDE
2 SNUFF-PAPER NURSE * around (FF + PAP)
FIANCHETTI (NICE IF THAT) *
3 RECITER ER after (REC + IT)
STENCIL ’S + CLIENT *
4 ENIAC A in CINE <
PATTE PATTE(r)
5 ORYX (Y + X) after OR
SIND IS < + (AND − A)
6 EIGNE GENIE *
ACNED A + C + NED
7 DATAGLOVES (A + TAD ) < + (GLOBES with V for B)
EMMENTALER ETERNAL * around (M + M + E(ngland))
8 ECU (cor)E CU(rriculum)
MAX X after MA
12 VET VEST − S
SYE S + YET − T(ear)
13 ENROBED (BEN + DO + RE) *
CEILIDH (E(xperimentation) + I) in CHILD *
15 HANCH HAN + CH
RISHI IRISH *
16 HYLIC (healt)HY LIC(e)
EPOCH (O(bese) + CH) after EP
17 ANA AN + A
PIE I in PE
19 PECH PEACH − A(ndromeda)
URSA (o)UR SA(nity)
20 ELLS (L(abour) + L) in ES
VENT 2 meanings
21 ONE ON + E
GEM G + EMU − U
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