1 You once captured North Carolina from there (6)

 4 Connected to the wrist of fellow commuter (6)

 9 Subordinate to draw conclusions in front of one operating room (8)

10 Method of assessing brilliance pronounced, yes, “most attractive” (2,4)

12 Fashionable, ill-behaved pet is awkward (5)

13 Oedipus was one father initially rejected—“Shocking!” I cried (9)

14 Kissed up to initiators of absolutely deadly homemade bomb (7)

16 Half-trillion after small numbers in opening (7)

17 Inappropriate coaching: spitting out last piece of pizza and pasta (7)

19 Through it, you can see or hear the ego, undivided (7)

21 A contest’s mailed-in participants!? (9)

22 Express disapproval about very loud hit (5)

23 Wry and made of metal? (6)

24 Italian explorer, hiding inside, loves Puccini (8)

25 Rewrite Scene I for younger relatives (6)

26 A lyric poem at the beginning of “Sonata for Conductors” (6)

 1 Take up grease with cheese cloth (7)

 2 Bird reflected in detergent (5)

 3 What some people seem to think I am: viler (7,5)

 5 Agree to drop first bit of audio from Mac? Oui! Yes! (9)

 6 Prime minister’s support structure encompassing rock band (7)

 7 I’ll tell you tomorrow what I think about the mattress (3,2,5,2,2)

 8 Foreign dignitaries not falling apart (14)

11 Monster mug for Al? (12)

15 Van Gogh, a little late: “I have a carrot” (9)

18 Nosh nuts or start to eat off the vessel (7)

20 Kill (murder) leader in Satanic rites (7)

22 Devil losing heart in bed with woman, perhaps (5)  

ACROSS 1 hidden 3 POINT + BLANK 9 [f]EARS 10 2 defs. 12 O + REGANO (onager rev.) 13 tried vs. anag., [a]dversit[y] anag. (double &lit.) 14 [p]RAISE 16 hidden 19 HATCH + MEN + T 20 hidden 21 C(A + R)AFES 23 T(IN + H)ORN 25 CAR(GOP)LANE 26 “Molly” 27 anag. 28 “him”   DOWN 1 & 18 THE FOURTH + DIM + E(N)SION (noise rev.) 2 CURS + E 4 anag. 5 NEE(D)S (seen rev.) 6 B(IF)UR + CATIONS (rub rev.) 7 A + QUA + VI + TAE (eat rev.) 8 K(EYE)D 11 2 defs. 15 hidden 17 CAT + A + TONIC 21 CA + CA + O 22 anag. 24 [b]OVARY