18 across (12) B???H?N?L?A? Support a stranger picked up involved in drunken sprees. 24 across (9) T???E?I?E Fruit bats entering holding area. Answer looks like "tangerine" - in could be bats but where does "holdind area" fit in? 26 across (4) E??? Send cycling tips. 17 down ???E????. Native Americans in uplifting studies shown on TV.
18a bacchanalian - sounds like (picked up) back an alien
24a tangerine - anagram of entering containing A(rea)
26a ends - send with the S cycled to the end
17d s cree ned
Many thanks, Psybbo (where does that Answerbank name come from ?), dannyk13 and sedge47. I particulaly appreciate the explanations given - I just could not find my way through these clues today.