Cryptic Crossword 1-14

Theme: Thematic words are from business/finance vocabulary

Across:

8 Recess, DD as in holiday and as in depression (in the ground or surface)

9 Creditor, credit (put down), or (alternative), lender (def)

10 Continue, con (convict), tin (can), ue (first letters in use and enticement), hold up (def)

11 Outlet, DD

12 Freeze, firm up (def), free (on the house), z (zero), e (term of advance i.e., last letter)

13 Napoleon, DD

15 Renewal, new (state of the art), in (insertion), real (concrete), rejuvenation (def)

17 Trustee, corrupt (anagram of) true + test - t (finish off i.e., drop last letter), fiduciary (def)

20 Abattoir, a (a), bat (crack), about (reversal of) riot (scream), Knacker's yard (def)

22 Policy, police (finest), almost (drop last letter), y (year), program (def)

23 Ingest, eat (def), some (hidden), rest is fodder

25 Stowaway, carjacker (def), in (hidden), rest is fodder

26 Embezzle, E (English), MBE (honour), "zzle" (guzzlers essentially i.e., middle letters), peculate (def)

27 Pledge, "principled gentleman" (fodder), providing (hidden), guarantee (def)

Down:

1 Recourse, destroyed (anagram of) resource, resource (def)

2 Settlement, DD as in compact (agreement) and a village for example

3 Usance, "Time ... trade" (def), nuisance (inconvenience), pointless (delete N which is a point), lacks intent initially = delete i

4 Screens, scree (loose stones), ns (not specific), fences (def)

5 Below par, terrible (anagram of) bowler + pa (old man), sour (def)

6 Gilt, say (homophone of) guilt (mea culpa), flourish (def)

7 Forego, do without (def), for (considering), ego (pride)

14 Loss leader, lo (look), ss (ship), struggles (anagram of) dealer, rest is def

16 Amortize, pay off debt with regular payments (def), could be (anagram of) zero + amt (amount) + i (initial interest i.e., first letter)

18 Exchange, ex (one time), change (legal tender), trade (def)

19 Crossed, jazzy (anagram of) co (business) + dress, sold out (def)

21 Benumb, damp (def), in pieces (anagram of) menu, found in (insertion), BB (Bread and Breakfast sources i.e., 1st letters)

22 Prompt, occasion (def), pro (for), MP (politician), T (Tuesday)

24 Even, DD as in smooth and as in "all the way"